REVIEW: ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS KISS BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows, #3.5)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency era)

Cover Blurb:

When Sir Lucien Blakemore arrives at his cousin’s estate for a week long Christmas party, he’s shocked to see Miss Winifred Nightingale among the other guests. Employed by his neighbor back in Yorkshire, the governess with the lovely eyes has always seemed off limits, but she’s visiting here as a guest—and there’s nothing like a little mistletoe to make the spirits bright…

Miss Winifred Nightingale never dreamed a holiday visit with her sister would lead to both ladies spending Christmas as the local lord’s guests. But the big surprise is when she finds the handsome Sir Lucien Blakemore staying there too. Their attraction between is undeniable, but will an old nemesis and a party guest bent on mischief make their first kiss under the mistletoe their last?

♥♥♥♥♥♥

This novella features two secondary characters introduced in When Dukes Say I Do (Trevor and Isabella’s story), the first book in Manda Collins’s Wicked Widows series.  Lucien is Trevor’s best friend and Winifred (Winnie) is governess to Trevor’s two young sisters.

Lucien is such a likeable hero…handsome, charming, witty and inherently decent. He has a way of putting people at ease, as he does the shy, stuttering Miss Hawthorn.

It was a sign of Sir Lucien’s kind nature that the young lady didn’t feel unsettled in his presence.

I love how he champions both Winnie and her sister when the noxious Mrs Green makes slanderous remarks.

“…if you persist in your public slander of my affianced bride and her sister, I will  see to it that you and yours are made to feel the sting of my cousin’s censure. Not to mention the ton’s.”

He is honest about wanting to marry Winnie and doesn’t care what society thinks. He knows that his true friends will accept her and, as far as he is concerned – “the others can go to hell.”

Winnie is strong-minded and courageous and I love how she is not afraid to face the disapproving society ladies head on.

She looked, Lucien thought, like a golden goddess delivering a pronouncement to her minions, which was hardly the outcome Lady Emily had wished from her pointed words.

She is reluctant to marry Lucien because of their different stations in life. Her own parents’ marriage had been an unequal match and she had seen how that had ended in tragedy.  I like how Lucien, although he understands her fears,  is determined to show her that they are nothing like her parents.

The Christmas house party provides the perfect background for Lucien and Winnie’s mutual attraction to develop into something deeper. The sleigh ride, skating and gathering of seasonal greenery not only offers an opportunity for them to be thrown together but also gives the novella a lovely Christmas feel.

Ms Collins sustains the mystery of who is threatening Winnie well and it was certainly a surprise to learn the identity of the culprit.

Favourite Quote

To fall in love? She’d always thought it was something that happened all at once. Now she was inclined to see it as the gradual build of a hundred tiny moments: a caress on the hand, a sigh, a stolen kiss.

This friends-to-lovers novella is perfect for bringing a little Christmas cheer and forms a delightful end to the Wicked Widows series.

 REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: WARM

Read December 2014

Wicked Widows series (click on cover for more details):

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest  review.

 

 

 

 

 

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REVIEW: WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows, #3)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

THE TRUTH COULD RUIN HER

In Manda Collins’s Why Lords Lose Their Hearts, Perdita, the widowed Duchess of Ormonde, keeps a dangerous secret—the truth of how her brutish husband died. But a mysterious avenger seems to know it, too, and when anonymous threats turn into public attacks, there’s only one friend she can turn to for help—her husband’s former secretary, Lord Archer Lisle. The man who witnessed her every heartache. The kind of man whose love she can only dream of …

WILL HIS LOVE SAVE HER?

The youngest of the Duke of Pemberton’s five sons, Lord Archer Lisle is used to waiting his turn. For years, he could only stand by, seething, as Perdita suffered at the hands of her husband, but now she’s under threat from another source—one who will stop at nothing to make her pay for the late duke’s death. But the good-natured Archer can be dangerous when crossed—and he’ll do anything to keep the woman he’s adored for so long safe in his arms…

♥♥♥♥♥♥

This is the final book in Manda Collins’s Wicked Widows series, although there is a Christmas novella, Once Upon a Christmas Kiss, which features Sir Lucien Blakemore, a secondary character in the series, as the hero.

The series centres on sisters, Isabella and Perdita, and their friend, Georgina… all widows of abusive husbands. They share a terrible secret concerning the death of Perdita’s husband, the Duke of Ormonde, but find themselves threatened by someone who obviously knows that secret and is out for revenge.

I adore Archer. He is the epitome of everything a hero should be…gentle, caring, patient and funny. I also like the idea of the unrequited love being on the hero’s side rather than the more usual scenario of the heroine pining away for the hero.

From that moment on he had been a goner. And in spite of himself he’d fallen in love with his employer’s wife.

His strong protective instincts come to the fore when he shows his determination to keep Perdita safe even if his methods are a little unusual.

I had somewhat conflicting views about Perdita. Having been under the control of her abusive husband for so long, I could understand why she values her independence and her need to make her own decisions. However, I was really frustrated by her stubborn refusal to take Archer’s concerns for her safety seriously.

Thus far, the threats against her had not persuaded the headstrong Perdita to curb any of her normal activities, a resistance for which she was inordinately proud.

On the other hand, she is kind and compassionate towards her servants, always setting them at ease and also refuses to do anything that might place her sister Isabella or her friend Georgie in any danger.  I love how she castigates Lord Dunford when he treats Archer as if he were a mere servant.

The romance is both tender and passionate and Archer is so tenacious in his resolve to persuade Perdita to marry him despite her fears.

“You may do what you wish to convince Dunthorp to  propose, but I will do whatever it takes to convince you that the only man you should marry is me.”

Knowing what she suffered at Gervase’s hands, he is such a considerate and generous lover putting her pleasure before his own and taking care not to do anything she is uncomfortable with. I enjoyed the bolder Perdita …

“I’d like to watch you lose control.”

  Of course, her words had the expected effect and she gave an evil laugh. “You did that on purpose,” he said, flipping her neatly onto her back. “I think I’m going to have to get used to this naughty side of you, Perdita. I had no idea you had it in you.

“I can think of something I’d rather have in me.”

I adore Archer’s family. His parents, the duke and duchess are genuinely fond of their sons and, in spite of the usual sibling disagreements, it is plain to see the strong bond between the brothers. There is plenty of banter between them and the story about the Kimball twins is so funny.  I love Archer’s mother because she is instrumental in convincing Perdita to trust what her heart tells her.

Isabella, Trevor, Georgie and Con are on hand to push and prod Archer and Perdita into each other’s arms and to provide practical help against the threat to Perdita.

Ms Collins maintains the suspense well and I didn’t guess the identity of the mastermind behind all the threats. However, there was one scene where you needed a strong stomach and the villain’s back story definitely stretched my credulity.

In spite of my quibbles, I did enjoy this book but not as much as the first two in the series.  It appears that Archer’s brothers are getting their own stories as Lord Frederick Lisle is the hero of  A Good Rake is Hard to Find, the first book in Ms Collins’s new Lords of Anarchy series, which is due to be published on 31^st March 2015.

 

REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: HOT

Read November 2014

 

Wicked Widows series (click on cover for more details):

 

 

 

 

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RELEASE DAY: ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS KISS BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows, #3.5)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

Society often makes strange bedfellows–and even more surprising betrothals…

IS IT A REASON FOR CHEER?

When Sir Lucien Blakemore arrives at his cousin’s estate for a week long Christmas party, he’s shocked to see Miss Winifred Nightingale among the other guests. Employed by his neighbor back in Yorkshire, the governess with the lovely eyes has always seemed off limits, but she’s visiting here as a guest—and there’s nothing like a little mistletoe to make the spirits bright…

OR THE SEASON FOR HEARTBREAK?

Miss Winifred Nightingale never dreamed a holiday visit with her sister would lead to both ladies spending Christmas as the local lord’s guests. But the big surprise comes when she finds the handsome Sir Lucien Blakemore staying there too. The attraction between them is undeniable, but will an old nemesis and a party guest bent on mischief make their first kiss under the mistletoe their last?

 

 

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RELEASE DAY: WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS BY MANDA COLLINS

This is the final book in Manda Collins’s enjoyable Wicked Widows series.  I can’t wait to see Perdita and Archer get their HEA and discover who the villain is!

(Wicked Widows,#3)

Genre: Historic Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb

 

THE TRUTH COULD RUIN HER

In Manda Collins’s Why Lords Lose Their Hearts, Perdita, the widowed Duchess of Ormonde, keeps a dangerous secret—the truth of how her brutish husband died. But a mysterious avenger seems to know it, too, and when anonymous threats turn into public attacks, there’s only one friend she can turn to for help—her husband’s former secretary, Lord Archer Lisle. The man who witnessed her every heartache. The kind of man whose love she can only dream of …

WILL HIS LOVE SAVE HER?

The youngest of the Duke of Pemberton’s five sons, Lord Archer Lisle is used to waiting his turn. For years, he could only stand by, seething, as Perdita suffered at the hands of her husband, but now she’s under threat from another source—one who will stop at nothing to make her pay for the late duke’s death. But the good-natured Archer can be dangerous when crossed—and he’ll do anything to keep the woman he’s adored for so long safe in his arms…

 

Here are the buy links:

Amazon
Amazon Canada
Barnes & Noble
B-A-M
Book Depository
IndieBound
Powell’s

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REVIEW: WHY EARLS FALL IN LOVE BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows, #2)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb

IS IT A REASON FOR ROMANCE?

In Why Earls Fall in Love by Manda Collins, young widowed Georgina Mowbray is settling into her role as Lady Russell’s companion quite well—until the lady’s nephew Dominic, the Earl of Coniston, arrives in Bath for a visit. Georgie’s always found him shallow and too smooth, and trusts him as much as she trusts most men…which is to say, not at all. But Con turns out to be more intriguing than she remembers—and completely irresistible…

OR A PROMISE OF PASSION?

Pretty, practical Georgie is nothing like the women Con usually woos—especially since she seems blind to his charms. But his elderly aunt is so fond of her that Con is determined at least to be sociable…with the occasional flirtation thrown in just for fun. But things take a serious turn when a dangerous figure from Georgie’s unhappy past appears and threatens to bring her harm. Con will do whatever it takes to keep Georgie safe. And if he can show her that all men are not menaces, he might be able to keep her in his arms and never let go…

♥♥♥♥♥♥

This is the second book in the Wicked Widows series from Manda Collins.

The series centres on sisters, Isabella and Perdita, and their friend, Georgina… all widows of abusive husbands. They share a terrible secret concerning the death of Perdita’s husband, the Duke of Ormonde, but find themselves threatened by someone who obviously knows that secret and is out for revenge. The first book, Why Dukes Say I Do, told Isabella’s story and this is Georgina’s (Georgie’s) story.

 “…he has nothing more to concern himself with than the betting book or which opera dancer he’s going to bed.”

This is how Georgie sees Con at the beginning of the story. Not very flattering to a potential hero but, of course, Con gradually reveals those qualities that make a good romance hero. It’s clear that he adores his aunt, Lady Russell, and that he had helped her through a very painful time in her life. I love how protective he is towards Georgie when he learns of the potential danger she may be in; how fiercely he defends her honour when Mr. Gilloway, the investigator makes disparaging remarks about her. After hearing how Georgie suffered during her abusive marriage, he comes to fully appreciate how difficult it is for a woman, forced to obey a father or a husband without redress. He had wanted to put a stop to the abuse that Perdita had suffered but, as a duke, her husband was far too powerful for a mere earl. I liked that Con’s thoughts weren’t solely occupied with lustful thoughts of Georgie but he also ‘found her quick wit and kind heart just as alluring as her pretty face’.

Georgie had long ago mastered the art of keeping her emotions in check. It gave her the inner strength to survive the years of her abusive marriage. She also appreciated the well-ordered army life which helped form a welcome counterbalance to the volatile relationship with her husband. Understandably, she has a deep distrust of men and deters any unwelcome attention with her serious demeanour, drab clothes and severe hair styles. I like how she refuses to be intimidated by Con but eventually comes to trust him and recognises his innate sense of decency and goodness. Her fears about remarrying again are very real. She made a terrible mistake in her choice of her first husband and no longer trusts her own judgement as regards men. I love Con for understanding her fears rather than sweeping them aside.

“No one who has endured what you went through could emerge without some sense of scepticism about people around them. It would be impossible not to.”

The romance between them is witty, tender and passionate and Ms Collins manages to convey all the emotion and passion quite beautifully and without being overly explicit. I’m sharing two of my favourite moments:

And with each beat of her heart she felt the threads of their souls knitting knitting together in a fabric no amount of strife could unravel.

It was a kiss of reverence, as if she were as precious to him as a fragile treasure. And Georgie felt her eyes prick with unshed tears. How did he know that what she always wanted deep down in her innermost soul, was to feel valued like that.

I love their conversation in Lady Russell’s breakfast room the morning after they have made love. It sounds perfectly innocent but is full of naughty innuendo.

There is well-drawn supporting cast including Con’s friend, Lord Archer Lisle who is in love with Perdita but unwilling to tell her. There is some delightfully witty banter between Archer and Con. I also liked Lady Russell who treats Georgie more as a friend than an employee.

”I am an eccentric old woman who has more money than is good for her, who wishes to see her dear friend , who is also her companion, enjoy herself for a change”.

The scene where she gives Georgie a sapphire necklace to wear and reveals her tragic past is both poignant and heartrending. Later in the story, I did find it hard to believe that, given their close relationship, Lady Russell would readily accept, without any question, that Georgie would steal her jewellery.

In the theatre scene, I love how Ms Collins makes reference to her characters in the Ugly Ducklings series, when Con is pointing out some of the more notorious members of the ton to Georgie. Isabella, Trevor and Perdita also make a welcome appearance to offer their help in tracking down the person threatening Georgie.

One reviewer says that Ms Collins’s dialogue is stilted but I totally disagree and found it natural and not at all stilted. I also like how she emphasises the reality of being a wife trapped in an abusive marriage and the limitations on women in general.

There are enough red herrings so that I didn’t guess the identity of the person threatening Georgie until right before the climax. It’s evident there is a master villain at work, who has been using others in pursuit of his or her revenge. At the moment, I have no idea who this mysterious person might be and can only wait for all to be revealed in the final book.

This is a delightful, entertaining romance and I’m really looking forward to reading Perdita and Archer’s story in Why Lords Lose Their Hearts (29^th July)

 

REVIEW RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: HOT

Read July 2014

 

The Wicked Widows series (click on covers for more details):

  

 

A special thank you to Manda Collins for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review. 

 

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REVIEW: WHY DUKES SAY I DO BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows, #1)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb

Even in London society—where everyone knows what you did last season—you never know who’s next in line to walk down the aisle, in Why Dukes Say I Do…

TRUE LOVE IS OFTEN FOUND

With her whirlwind social life in London, Lady Isabella Wharton has little interest in the customs of the country. But when her godmother asks her to pay a visit to her bachelor grandson in Yorkshire, Isabella can’t refuse. It behooves her to please the old dowager, since she harbors one of Isabella’s most scandalous secrets. So off she goes to see the newly-titled—and notoriously rustic—Duke of Ormond…

WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

Trevor Carey doesn’t care about what goes on behind ballroom doors. He is content with the simple life—and isn’t ashamed to admit it to a society flirt like Lady Isabella. But the country air brings out a different side of Isabella—one full of longing and passion. Can her sophistication be hiding a desire for love? When a blackmailer from the city arrives to threaten Isabella, Trevor will shield her from harm—even travel to London. Can the duke tackle the ton on Isabella’s behalf …and manage to keep her all to himself?

♥♥♥♥♥♥

I enjoyed this book with its intriguing story (inspired by the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer), engaging characters, passion and romance.

WHY DUKES SAY I DO is the first book in Manda Collins’s new series, Wicked Widows, which centres around sisters, Isabella and Perdita and their friend, Georgina… all widows of abusive husbands. They share a terrible secret concerning the death of Perdita’s husband, the Duke of Ormonde, but find themselves blackmailed and threatened by someone who obviously knows that secret.

Trevor reminds me of Alec, the hero of Ms Collins’s How to Romance a Rake. He is honourable, a gentleman and treats everyone with kindness and civility. As one of his tenant’s remarks to Isabella – “a kinder, more dedicated master we could not have asked for.”  His care and concern for others is also seen in the importance he attaches to his duties as magistrate and how protective he is towards Isabella when he finds out about the threatening letters.

I understand his determination not to take up his role as the Duke of Ormonde. He holds no love for the Ormonde family who turned their back on his father who chose to marry for love rather than wealth.

He clearly loves his sisters but tends to be overprotective… a trait which I am sure is shared by a lot of older brothers. It is hard for him to accept that the seventeen year old Eleanor is now a young lady as Isabella points out.

“She isn’t so much older than Belinda,” he said defensively.
“There is a vast ocean of difference between thirteen and seventeen,” Isabella said. “And well you know it. You simply wish there were not. It won’t be long before she has beaux. I wouldn’t be surprised if she weren’t already smitten with some country swain.” He gulped down his brandy at the thought.
“You don’t think…” He glanced warily at Isabella.

I thought it was amusing that he was horrified by the fact that Eleanor may have a beau.

I admire Isabella…her strength, resilience and courage. She went through a soul-destroying, abusive marriage but has lost none of that indomitable spirit. Her selfless love for her sister and her need to ensure Perdita’s future happiness, above all else, made me like her even more.

Her interactions with Trevor’s sisters, Eleanor and Belinda, show the genuine affection she has for them. She also recognises how ill-equipped they are to take their place in society as the sisters of a duke and desperately need her guidance.

…there was something familiar about these two sisters, something that made Isabella want to shield them from the hurts and embarrassments that awaited them in the world outside their little village.

I particularly love the scene where Isabella loans Eleanor a gown …… Eleanor’s reactions and excitement are contagious.

I found the romance between Isabella and Trevor perfectly paced. They both start out with preconceived ideas about each other. Isabella has been preconditioned by the Dowager Duchess to expect some kind of stuffy, country yokel living a rustic existence while Trevor initially believes Isabella to be nothing more than a frivolous society lady. It is both amusing and delightful watching their preconceived notions slowly shattered allowing them to move from physical attraction to falling in love.

He’d expected Isabella to be incapable of conversing about anything but the latest on-dit, but she had proved knowledgeable on a variety of topics, including, to his great surprise, the glamorous world of crop rotation. She’d explained it away, saying that her father had been fond of agricultural talk despite making his home in London. She had, she said, absorbed the information over the course of many years listening to him drone on about it.

…to her surprise and admiration, Ormonde not only knew everyone’s names, but he also was able to ask after their siblings and parents and children and grandchildren and in some cases great-grandchildren, with an easy manner that indicated he had been doing so for years. He clearly cared for their welfare beyond just ensuring that they were able to produce a good crop yield. He cared about them as people.

The secondary characters add depth to the story. I was charmed by Trevor’s sisters, Eleanor and Belinda with their delightful banter and I love the humour Trevor’s friend and neighbour, Sir Lucien Blakemore, brings to the story:

“I took Lady Wharton and my sisters into York yesterday to go dress shopping.”
Blakemore blanched. “Ye gods, no wonder you’re livid. A shopping trip could make any man go mad.”

I like how Ms Collins intersperses social comments throughout the story and highlights the often harsh realities of being a woman during this era.

It wasn’t hard to figure out the identity of the person sending Isabella the threatening letters, but the action was still dramatic enough to keep me turning the pages. There is a cliff-hanger because the villainous mastermind behind the threats is still at large and the mystery surrounding his identity is set to continue throughout the series.

Overall this was an enjoyable start to Ms Collin’s new series with just the right amount of romance and mystery. I will definitely be reading the next book, Why Earls Fall in Love, which is Georgina’s story.

REVIEW  RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: HOT

Read February 2014

The Wicked Widows series (click on covers for more details):

  – 29 July 2014

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NEW BOOKS ADDED TO MY BOOKSHELVES

ROMANCING THE DUKE BY TESSA DARE

Source: Received from the author in return for an honest review

(Castles Ever After #1)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb

In the first in Tessa Dare’s captivating Castles Ever After series, a mysterious fortress is the setting for an unlikely love….

As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens.
She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless possibilities.
And as she grew older, Izzy crossed them off. One by one by one.

Ugly duckling turned swan
Abducted by handsome highwayman?
Rescued from drudgery by charming prince?

No, no, and… Heh.

Now Izzy’s given up yearning for romance. She’ll settle for a roof over her head. What fairy tales
are left over for an impoverished twenty-six year-old woman who’s never even been kissed?

This one.

REVIEW POSTED 6 FEBRUARY 2014: https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/review-romancing-the-duke-by-tessa-dare/

♥♥♥♥♥♥

 

WHY EARLS FALL IN LOVE BY MANDA COLLINS

Source: Received from the author in return for an honest review

(Wicked Widows #2)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb

Society often makes strange bedfellows—and even more surprising betrothals…

IS IT A REASON FOR ROMANCE?

Young widowed Georgina Mowbray is settling into her role as Lady Russell’s companion quite well—until the lady’s nephew Dominic, the Earl of Coniston, arrives in Bath for a visit. Georgie’s always found him shallow and too smooth, and trusts him as much as she trusts most men…which is to say, not at all. But Con turns out to be more intriguing than she remembers—and completely irresistible…

OR A PROMISE OF PASSION?

Pretty, practical Georgie is nothing like the women Con usually woos—especially since she seems blind to his charms. But his elderly aunt is so fond of her that Con is determined at least to be sociable…with the occasional flirtation thrown in just for fun. But things take a serious turn when a dangerous figure from Georgie’s unhappy past appears and threatens to bring her harm. Con will do whatever it takes to keep Georgie safe. And if he can show her that all men are not menaces, he might be able to keep her in his arms and never let go…

♥♥♥♥♥♥

ODIN’S SHADOW BY ERIN S. RILEY

Source: Received from the author in return for an honest review

(Odin’s Shadow, #1)

Genre: Historical Romance (Viking 876  AD)

Cover Blurb

Obsession. Treachery. Revenge. Redemption. Certain themes resonate across the centuries.

Odin’s Shadow is the first book in a series of three about a young Irish woman and the two Viking brothers who love her. The novel is set against the harsh backdrop of the Viking era in the 9th century, a time when the sight of a Viking longship sailing up the coast of Ireland would chill the blood of any man, woman or child. One young Irish woman, however, is not afraid of these Northmen, and a fateful encounter with one of them changes the course of her life forever.

Selia is a girl on the verge of womanhood, frustrated by the confines of her gender and resentful of the freedom her brother boasts of. She is intelligent and resourceful in a time when neither is valued in a female, and longs for an escape from her sheltered existence. Selia is fascinated by the tales of Viking raids told by her maidservant, and her hunger for independence is fed through the stories of heathen ferocity she hears at the woman’s knee.

A decision to sneak to the city’s harbor to view the Viking longships leads to an encounter with Alrik Ragnarson, a charismatic Viking warlord. With the knowledge that her father is about to announce her betrothal to a man she doesn’t love, Selia marries Alrik and within a day is on the longship bound for Norway and a new life.

As Selia’s relationship with her new husband grows, her friendship with his brother Ulfrik grows as well. The tension mounts between the two men, and as Alrik’s character flaws come to light Selia begins to have misgivings about her hasty marriage. Ulfrik’s desperate love for Selia causes him to reveal a dark secret from the past that threatens to destroy them all, and Selia is left to make a heart rending choice between the two Viking brothers.

♥♥♥♥♥♥

SAVED BY A RAKE BY EM TAYLOR

Source: Purchased from Amazon Kindle

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb

When Lady Rebecca Eversley is left ravished by the Earl of Newthorpe and facing ruination, she has the choice to point her pretty little nose in the air and face the gossips of the Ton or scurry off to the country to live out her life as an old maid. When she meets Lord Daniel Ramsey, a notorious rake, she decides on the former course of action.

Daniel has been given an ultimatum, marry before his father dies or lose the majority of his inheritance money. Rebecca seems the perfect candidate, especially once rumours about her start to circulate in the drawing rooms of Mayfair.

When Newthorpe is found dead on the morning of their wedding, the people around them find themselves suspects in the case. Who murdered Newthorpe and can Rebecca ever get over what he did to her?

♥♥♥♥♥♥

THE GROOM’S GAMBLE: A NOVELLA BY JADE LEE

Source: Free on Amazon Kindle

(Bridal Favors, #3.5)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb

An original novella linked to Jade Lee’s hot new Regency bride series, a prequel to What the Groom Wants.

Caroline Lyncott, great grandaughter of the Duke of Bucklynde, has a secret. Years ago she was attacked and still bears the terrible scars. To escape the scandal and the reminders, she left everything behind to become housekeeper to a Scottish brother and sister. Gregory Murray, the Earl Of Hartfell, has a secret as well – he harbors a deep attraction to his housekeeper, Mrs. Lyncott. He knows she has a past, but doesn’t know how to fix the pain that still haunts her. His investigation leads him to the darkest London gaming hell and a villain too powerful to destroy. Can his love overcome her desperate past? Can she risk her heart despite the evil that still haunts her nightmares?

♥♥♥♥♥♥

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RELEASE DAY: WHY EARLS FALL IN LOVE BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows #2)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

Society often makes strange bedfellows—and even more surprising betrothals…

IS IT A REASON FOR ROMANCE?

In Why Earls Fall in Love by Manda Collins, young widowed Georgina Mowbray is settling into her role as Lady Russell’s companion quite well—until the lady’s nephew Dominic, the Earl of Coniston, arrives in Bath for a visit. Georgie’s always found him shallow and too smooth, and trusts him as much as she trusts most men…which is to say, not at all. But Con turns out to be more intriguing than she remembers—and completely irresistible…

OR A PROMISE OF PASSION?

Pretty, practical Georgie is nothing like the women Con usually woos—especially since she seems blind to his charms. But his elderly aunt is so fond of her that Con is determined at least to be sociable…with the occasional flirtation thrown in just for fun. But things take a serious turn when a dangerous figure from Georgie’s unhappy past appears and threatens to bring her harm. Con will do whatever it takes to keep Georgie safe. And if he can show her that all men are not menaces, he might be able to keep her in his arms and never let go…

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COVER REVEAL FOR WHY EARLS FALL IN LOVE BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows #2)

Genre: Historical Romance

Official Blurb 

Society often makes strange bedfellows—and even more surprising betrothals…

IS IT A REASON FOR ROMANCE?

Young widowed Georgina Mowbray is settling into her role as Lady Russell’s companion quite well—until the lady’s nephew Dominic, the Earl of Coniston, arrives in Bath for a visit. Georgie’s always found him shallow and too smooth, and trusts him as much as she trusts most men…which is to say, not at all. But Con turns out to be more intriguing than she remembers—and completely irresistible…

OR A PROMISE OF PASSION?

Pretty, practical Georgie is nothing like the women Con usually woos—especially since she seems blind to his charms. But his elderly aunt is so fond of her that Con is determined at least to be sociable…with the occasional flirtation thrown in just for fun. But things take a serious turn when a dangerous figure from Georgie’s unhappy past appears and threatens to bring her harm. Con will do whatever it takes to keep Georgie safe. And if he can show her that all men are not menaces, he might be able to keep her in his arms and never let go…

(Expected publication date 28 January 2014)

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READ AN EXCERPT FROM WHY DUKES SAY I DO (WICKED WIDOWS #1) BY MANDA COLLINS

(Wicked Widows #1)

Genre: Historical Romance 

Official Blurb 

Even in London society—where everyone knows what you did last season—you never know who’s next in line to walk down the aisle…

TRUE LOVE IS OFTEN FOUND

With her whirlwind social life in London, Lady Isabella Wharton has little interest in the customs of the country. But when her godmother asks her to pay a visit to her bachelor grandson in Yorkshire, Isabella can’t refuse. It behooves her to please the old dowager, since she harbors one of Isabella’s most scandalous secrets. So off she goes to see the newly-titled—and notoriously rustic—Duke of Ormond…

WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

Trevor Carey doesn’t care about what goes on behind ballroom doors. He is content with the simple life—and isn’t ashamed to admit it to a society flirt like Lady Isabella. But the country air brings out a different side of Isabella—one full of longing and passion. Can her sophistication be hiding a desire for love? When a blackmailer from the city arrives to threaten Isabella, Trevor will shield her from harm—even travel to London. Can the duke tackle the ton on Isabella’s behalf …and manage to keep her all to himself?

(Expected date of publication 30 July 2013)

TO READ AN EXCERPT CLICK LINK BELOW TO MANDA COLLINS’S WEBSITE:

http://www.mandacollins.com/why-dukes-say-i-do/#read-an-excerpt

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