REVIEW: DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES BY ANNA CAMPBELL

Kindle edition – 93 pages

(Sons of Sin, #1.5)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency 1816 &1826)

Cover Blurb:

Lady Lydia Rothermere has spent the past decade trying to make up for a single, youthful moment of passion. Now the image of propriety, Lydia knows her future rests on never straying outside society’s rigid rules, but hiding away the desire that runs through her is harder than she could have ever dreamed. And as she prepares for a marriage that will suit her family, but not her heart, Lydia must decide what’s more important: propriety or passion?

Simon Metcalf is a rake and adventurer. But for all his experience, nothing can compare to the kiss he stole from the captivating Lydia Rothermere ten years ago. Simon can scarcely believe he’s about to lose the one woman he’s never forgotten. The attraction between them is irresistible, yet Lydia refuses to forsake her engagement. With his heart on the line, will Simon prove that love is a risk worth taking?

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Days of Rakes and Roses was originally released in July 2013 but regrettably it was not available to purchase in the UK until earlier this year. In the intervening three years, I read all the other books in the excellent Sons of Sin series. Now reading this lovely second-chance romance is just like enjoying a small but delicious dessert after the main course and I can definitely confirm that it can be read as a standalone.

I adore Simon. He truly loved Lydia but, when her father caught them in a compromising situation, he was forced to leave England or see his family destroyed. Simon knew that he could never have asked Lydia to run away with him because, as a penniless second son, he could never offer her a life worthy of her. So he had struggled to forget Lydia, drinking and whoring his way across Europe, but to no avail because:

…through all that time, nothing had erased the memory of the one woman he’d ever loved. And nothing had eased his yearning for her.

I could sympathise with Lydia’s situation. The Rothermere family has lived in the shadow of scandal for many years and Lydia has always been afraid of disappointing her father or tarnishing the family reputation. She has been in love with Simon forever but he always seemed impossibly out of reach. When she discovers that Simon feels the same way, she is willing to cast caution to the winds, but it costs her dearly. Finding Lydia in a compromising situation with Simon, her father’s retribution is swift and harsh and, from that moment on, she vows that she will be the epitome of propriety. Over the years, the passionate 17-year-old has become:

…a mature, sensible woman of twenty-seven marrying a mature, sensible man of forty-one. She was content with her decision.

So when Simon re-enters her life, Lydia is beset by all sorts of emotions. She still loves him but, for ten years, even after her father died, she had heard nothing from him, only the occasional report of his rakish exploits abroad. She’d finally accepted that he cared nothing for her and decided to move on with her life and marry Sir Grenville. I can understand her stubbornness in revealing her true feelings and trusting Simon with her heart.

I love that Simon is honest about his feelings for Lydia and prepared to fight for her even though he fears she no longer feels the same about him.

In his heart, she was his, she’d always be his. The problem was he had a strong suspicion that, while she may once have felt the same, she felt the same no longer.

Ms Campbell provides just enough conflict before these two can attain their overdue Happy Ever After.

I like how Camden, Lydia’s brother, wants her to be happy and feels she deserves better than a cold marriage with Sir Grenville and is even willing to weather any resulting scandal. I also like how he sees beyond Simon’s reputation:

Aren’t you worried that you invite a libertine into the family?”
Cam leveled an uncompromising stare on him as he lifted the decanter. “Do you mean to play my sister false?”
“Of course not.” He paused. “But how can you trust me?”
“You can’t have changed that much from the boy I grew up with.” Cam refilled both their glasses. “Anyway the best proof of Lydia’s hold on you is that you came the moment I sent for you.”

There is also a brief appearance by Sir Richard Harmsworth (A Rake’s Midnight Kiss).

MY VERDICT: Once again, Anna Campbell enchanted me with this short but captivating love story. If you haven’t read the Sons of Sin series, I can definitely recommend it to all lovers of historical romance.

REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: WARM

Read September 2016

 

The Sons of Sin series (click the covers for more details):

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REVIEW AND INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY: THREE PROPOSALS AND A SCANDAL BY ANNA CAMPBELL

(Sons of Sin, #4.5)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

Whose hot kisses will melt the ice princess? All London is agog to know!

As the season reaches its brilliant climax, three very different men pursue beautiful Lady Marianne Seaton. She’s the marriage mart’s greatest prize – even if cruel and unjust gossip paints her as a woman cold and glittering as any diamond.

Lord Desborough is her father’s choice – rich, powerful, safe. Lord Tranter is society’s darling – handsome, dashing, charming.

Then there’s the dangerous, compelling man nobody in their right mind calls eligible. Elias Thorne, son of scandal, reputed deceiver, possessing a rakish fascination no woman can resist. A lady might choose Elias as a lover, but as a husband, he’s too risky a bet. Even if Marianne’s forbidden yearning for him threatens her future and her reputation.

When Marianne’s suitors pursue her to the year’s most glamorous house party, there will be proposals and passion, rivals and revelations, secrets and scandals.

Let the battle commence – but will the best man win?

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Once again, Anna Campbell lives up to all my expectations with this captivating love story. Even though a novella, it still packs plenty of passion, romance and drama.

I really felt sympathetic towards Marianne. She had weathered the storm of being jilted by the Duke of Sedgemoor with dignity, despite the nasty gossip that circulated about her. Now her father has issued an ultimatum that she must marry one of her two suitors.

I disliked her father intensely. He has always demanded unquestionable obedience from his daughter, caring nothing for her own wishes or happiness.

Her martinet of a father had done his best to teach her unquestioning duty, to bring up a compliant doll.

He sees her simply as a means of furthering his own financial and political ambitions through a marriage to the influential Lord Desborough. Marianne hides her insecurities and unhappiness beneath a veneer of impeccable manners and exemplary behaviour.

Elias is such a wonderful hero. When he and Marianne first met, he glimpsed a warm, intelligent woman with a generous heart and not the “cold fish”, society perceives her to be. It’s refreshing to see a hero who is head over heels in love with the heroine and willing to fight for her whatever the obstacles. With a family that’s a byword for scandal and an older brother who was a complete wastrel and died leaving the Thorne estate in dire financial straits, the dice seem firmly stacked against Elias. He has to overcome a belligerent Marianne…

Her lips curled with scorn. “We can all be jolly together, me with my handsome fortune hunter and you with all my lovely golden guineas.”

as well as her angry father and his rival suitors.

I enjoyed watching Marianne discover what she really wants in life and finally acknowledging her feelings for Elias and cheered her determination to defy her father and marry Elias.

Anna Campbell’s love scenes are always steamy but they are far more than just sex. She conveys the deep emotional connection between the characters and I love the tenderness and obvious love that shines through in moments like this.

“Are you all right?” He brushed her tumbled hair back from her face with a tenderness that made her bare toes curl.

She managed a weary, contented smile. “Absolutely wonderful.”

Elias dipped his head and kissed her with a sweetness all the more profound for the passion that preceded it. When he pulled away, she looked into his eyes and wondered how she’d ever questioned that he loved her.

I really like Lord Desborough. He’s a good man and I wholeheartedly agree with Sidonie…

“He needs to find a nice woman past first youth who will appreciate his qualities as a man, rather than his appeal as a marital catch.”

When Lord Tranter finally shows his true colours, what a truly nasty piece of work he is!

Jonas and Sidonie and Richard and Genevieve, characters from the previous books, make a welcome appearance and play an active role in bringing Elias and Marianne together. I also love the banter between Richard and Jonas.

The Epilogue provides a delightful glimpse of Elias and Marianne with their children and ties up some of the story threads most satisfactorily.

My Verdict: Another worthy addition to this excellent series. Definitely recommended!

REVIEW RATING: 5/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: HOT

Read July 2015

The Sons of Sin series (click the covers for more details):

My sincere thanks to Anna Campbell for sending me a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review

 

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THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Anna is generously giving away 3 ebook copies of THREE PROPOSALS AND A SCANDAL. Just leave a comment to enter the Giveaway.

The Giveaway will close at midnight (GMT) on Sunday 19th July.

 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Smashwords
B&N

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RELEASE DAY REVIEW: A SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHT BY ANNA CAMPBELL

(Sons of Sin, #4)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

Anything can happen in the moonlight . . .

Justice. That’s all Nell Trim wants-for her sister and for the countless other young women the Marquess of Leath has ruined with his wildly seductive ways. Now she has a bold plan to take him down . . . as long as she can resist the scoundrel’s temptations herself.

From the moment Nell meets James Fairbrother, the air positively sizzles. Yet for all his size and power, there’s something amazingly tender in his touch. Could he really be such a depraved rogue? The only way to find out is to beat the devil at his own game . . . one tempting kiss at a time.

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Another captivating story from the incomparable Anna Campbell.

How I imagine James Fairbrother, Marquess of Leath

James has long been a powerful and ambitious figure in the political arena and the ultimate goal of Prime Minister seems within his reach.  Now revelations of his late Uncle Neville’s crimes and his sister Sophie’s ill-timed elopement with a penniless younger son have left the Fairbrother name synonymous with scandal and his political hopes in jeopardy. He is advised to retreat to his country estate, Alloway Chase,  until the gossip has eventually blown over.  What he doesn’t expect is that his mother has employed a companion, a certain Miss Trim, whom he neither likes nor trusts but whose very presence elicits all sorts of inappropriate thoughts.

How I imagine Eleanor Trim

Eleanor made a solemn promise to her dying step-sister, Dorothy,  that she would seek revenge on the Marquess of Leath, the blackguard who seduced Dorothy and then callously abandoned her when she was with child. Eleanor must find the diary he kept, detailing his seductions of other innocent young women, and publicly expose his villainy. Using forged references, she manages to obtain a position at Alloway Chase as companion to the marquess’s mother The position offers plenty of opportunity for her to search for the incriminating diary. What she doesn’t expect is the sudden appearance of the marquess himself or the unwanted attraction she feels towards him.

The real highlight of this book for me was watching the growing relationship between James and Eleanor. I loved the initial back-and-forth verbal sparring between them and the strong undeniable attraction. It’s an attraction that doesn’t sit well with either of them. James doesn’t like or trust her and Eleanor refuses to admit that she finds the man who ruined her half-sister attractive. However, James is not at all as she imagined and everything she learns about him belies his reputation as a despoiler of innocent young women.  When James’s secretary is injured, he reluctantly agrees to his mother’s suggestion that Eleanor should assume the role temporarily making it impossible for them to avoid each other. Eleanor is forced to learn to ride to accompany James on visits to the estate and their repartee is delightful.

He stepped back. “How do you feel?”
She looked unsure. “Like I’m sitting on a volcano that’s about to erupt.”
 He snickered. “Old Snowflake is pushing twenty, Miss Trim. It he erupts, it will be a mind-numbingly speedy stroll.”

The time spent together also reinforces Eleanor’s belief that James is not a villain. He shows he really cares for Eleanor when he obtains her father’s war records for her and respects her decision when she refuses to become his mistress. There is no coercion and, when Eleanor changes her mind, it is her own decision.

Eleanor Trim was about to become a marquess’s mistress. And she couldn’t summon a shred of regret. Instead, that fluttery, new sensation under her ribs felt like happiness.

I was surprised by the lengthy love scene but in a good way . It lacked the slightly erotic feel that I have come to expect from Anna Campbell but, in terms of the characters, I think it worked beautifully. I enjoyed the feeling of playfulness, the tenderness and the deep emotional connection between James and Eleanor.

By the time her hair flowed around her, Leath breathed in gusts. His hands touched her delicately, as if the slightest fumble might shatter her.
   Then nothing.
   Slowly, reluctantly, she opened her eyes. Leath stared at her as though she was a star fallen from heaven to light his way.
  “It’s glorious.” her heart expanded at the awe in his voice.
“You’re glorious.”

I wasn’t happy with Eleanor’s actions when she finds the letters from the young women. It seemed inconceivable to me that, after everything that had happened between them and everything she knew in her heart, she would readily believe the worst of James without even giving him the chance to explain. It felt like a terrible act of betrayal and I don’t think she did enough grovelling for all the anguish she caused the poor man!

However, I did understand her reasons for not accepting James’s marriage proposal. She knew that if she married James he would lose everything he had worked for and she wouldn’t let that happen. However, James realised that he had dedicated his life to fulfilling his father’s dreams, not his own…that managing his estate and sharing his life with the woman he loved were far more fulfilling than any political career.

Jonas and Sidonie (Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed) and Richard and Genevieve (A Rake’s Midnight Kiss) and Camden and Penelope (What a Duke Dares) all make welcome appearances. James has always been a loner and so I loved that Cam, Richard and Jonas offer him genuine friendship and also provide him with valuable allies in his dramatic confrontation with the villainous Greengrass.

I can always rely on Ms Campbell to satisfy my desire for a heart-warming Epilogue. Perhaps I’ll let Penelope Rothermere, Duchess of Sedgemoor, have the final word.

“Of course. We could all see that you were head over heels and that once you’d sorted out your differences, you’d be perfect for each other.”

MY VERDICT: Another wonderful addition to this delightful series. Definitely recommended.

REVIEW RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: WARM

The Sons of Sin series so far (click the covers for more details):

My sincere thanks to Anna Campbell for sending me a complimentary copy of this book  in return for an honest review

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NEW BOOKS ADDED TO MY BOOKSHELVES

Source: ARC received from the author in return for an honest review.

Marguerite Kaye has has become of my  favourite authors since reading NEVER FORGET ME (My Review) and STRANGERS AT THE ALTAR (My Review). So I was thrilled when she asked me to review this book, the first of two full-length stories in her new Comrades in Arms series.

I love this gorgeous cover!

(Comrades in Arms, #1)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

The truth behind the hero Officer Jack Trestain may have been one of Wellington’s most valued code-breakers, but since Waterloo, he’s hung up his uniform. If only he could just as easily put aside the tortured memories he carries deep within; Perhaps enchanting French artist Celeste Marmion might be the distraction he so desperately craves?

Except Celeste harbors secrets of her own, and questions that she needs Jack’s help to solve! With Celeste’s every touch an exquisite temptation, how close can Jack get without revealing his darkest secret of all?

Comrades in Arms

War heroes, heartbreakers & husbands?

Expected date of Publication: 1 March 2015

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You can read an excerpt on Marguerite’s website. Just follow this link:

http://www.margueritekaye.com/bookshelf-2/the-soldiers-dark-secret/tsds-excerpt/

There is also a prequel to this mini series, SEDUCED BY THE SOLDIER, which is a free on-line read on the Harlequin website. It is running in weekly instalments from January 5th through to February 23rd. Here is the link:

http://www.harlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1968&chapter=1

 

 

Source: ARC received from the author in return for an honest review.

I think it was my lucky day today because I also received a copy of A SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHT, Book 4 in the Sons of Sin series by another of my favourite authors,  the fabulous Anna Campbell.

(Sons of Sin, #4)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

Anything can happen in the moonlight . . .

Justice. That’s all Nell Trim wants-for her sister and for the countless other young women the Marquess of Leath has ruined with his wildly seductive ways. Now she has a bold plan to take him down . . . as long as she can resist the scoundrel’s temptations herself.

From the moment Nell meets James Fairbrother, the air positively sizzles. Yet for all his size and power, there’s something amazingly tender in his touch. Could he really be such a depraved rogue? The only way to find out is to beat the devil at his own game . . . one tempting kiss at a time.

Expected Date of Publication : 28 April 2015

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 I can highly recommend this series and if you would like to read my reviews of the other books in the series, here are the links:

SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED – My Review

A RAKE’S MIDNIGHT KISS – My Review

WHAT A DUKE DARES – My Review

 

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