Not That Duke

Not That Duke (Would Be Wallflowers #3)- Eloisa James

HarperCollins/Avon Books

Release Date: July 25, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚

Synopsis: Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors--which definitely doesn't include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her "Specs" as he chases after elegant rivals.

And then--

The worst happens. Marriage.

To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.

How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he's fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she's in love--but not with that duke.

Not with her husband.

_____________________________________________________________

This was a book I definitely had mixed feelings about. On the one hand, I loved Stella and felt for her throughout the entire book. Stella is short, plump, red-haired, freckled, wears glasses, doesn't hide that she's smart, and doesn't play the games the superficial women of Society play. She's no one's first choice and her aunt is always harping on about what she needs to do differently if she wants to get a man to propose to her. She has no friends, and is miserable all the time. Kind of like what I imagine I'd be like if I were dropped into a Regency ballroom. But she also doesn't let any of that affect how she treats other people. She's kind instead of cruel or bitter, even though privately Stella watches the beautiful people like Lady Yasmin and her ardent suitor the Duke of Huntington and wishes she was like them. Or that the Duke would look at her the way he looks at Yasmin. 

The Duke, Silvester, was harder to get my mind around and I'm still not actually sure if I liked him. He spends the first half of the book chasing Yasmin and when she marries Silvester's best friend, Silvester decides to marry Stella instead. Why? Maybe he realizes he never really had more than superficial feelings for Yasmin and at least is in serious lust for Stella. He does like the conversations they have when they play chess and that she actually challenges him and sees him as a person and not as a way to be a duchess. Are these reasons to basically blackmail her into marriage? No. Why doesn't he court her the way he did Yasmin? Show Stella that he actually cares for her? No idea. Since we see things mostly from Stella's point of view Silvester seems to go from tolerating her while he pursues Yasmin, to saying cruel things about her to make Yasmin laugh, to apologizing and treating her as if they are siblings, to kissing her, to running off with Yasmin, to coming back and proposing to her. Then he doesn't even have the decency to listen to her when she says no and work on courting her- he goes to her aunt, tells the aunt they've kissed and now must marry, running over Stella's feelings on the subject. Once and a while he seems to panic at the idea that he might be in love with Stella, though we never find out why, and he shoves the idea away and decides it must be lust instead. 

So there were lots of questions here and I felt like Stella kind of deserved more. But I was proud of her- she stands up to Silvester and tells him she deserves to be first for someone. That she won't settle for less than anyone else, no matter what she looks like. I also loved that it wasn't just Silvester and his rather obvious appreciation for Stella's body that made her feel more confident in herself but her friend Merry and Silvester's mother and their positive and obvious love for Stella as she is that helped her begin to feel confident in herself. 

On their own, there were pacing issues and Silvester issues that made this not my favorite of James' books. But in the end, it is Eloisa James' sparkling, witty writing that won the day and charmed me with this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

 

 

Wilde Child

Wilde Child (Wildes of Lindlow Castle #6)- Eloisa James

Avon/HarperCollins

Release Date: March 30, 2021

Rating: 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚

Synopsis: 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.

____________________________________________________________________

Lady Joan Wilde is known for being blonde (proof of her illegitimacy), bold (because when you don't care what people say to you, why not enjoy yourself?) and in love with acting.  She'd rather be part of an acting troupe than a Wilde of Lindlow Castle.  And finally her father has agreed to let her perform the title role in Hamlet with a troupe of real actors- at Lindlow Castle before family and friends only and as long as a friend plays Ophelia. Joan sees this as a start to a new life as an actress.  Family friend Thaddeus Shaw, Viscount Greywick, sees it as a path to social ruin. Especially when Joan tells him she plans to perform in town in front of a 'real' audience. They make a deal- he'll keep her secret, and keep her safe, then they'll help each other find spouses. But the longer they spend together, the more they realize they might like each other too much for that deal to work.

Joan and Thaddeus are very much a case of opposites attracting. Joan has lived her whole life knowing she is illegitimate and knowing that everyone knows it- and since her family doesn't treat her any differently that's all she cares about. She finds it freeing to not worry about what everyone in Society thinks (and says) about her. Thaddeus constantly worries about what people say and how he and his actions reflect on the duchy that he will inherit.  He doesn't understand Joan's approach to life and doesn't approve.  She thinks Thaddeus is stuck up, disapproving, and shallow, and doesn't understand why he is concerning himself with her life choices.  Epic clashes ensue- often with Shakespearean insults thrown in.

What's fun is, like all Eloisa James' books (Say Yes to the Duke) Wilde Child goes past the outer, 'social' layers of the characters to discover who they really are. Particularly in Thaddeus' case, there are a lot of layers to a very complicated person.  In between their fighting, Joan and Thaddeus find they can talk to each other as they've never been able to talk to others and their secrets- and delightful chemistry- blossom.  Both are trying to deny their parental examples when it comes to running away with emotions (or having emotions run away with them) while seeing if they can balance their own happiness with family responsibilities.  I loved revisiting Lindlow Castle and seeing characters from previous books, although anyone new to the series won't be lost starting here.  The loving Wilde family seems to embrace the reader as much as the characters as a part of the family, and James' entertaining, emotional, delightful writing and sparkling humor ensures this will be a book you'll want to reread regularly.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Ten Things I Hate About the Duke

 

Ten Things I Hate About The Duke (Difficult Dukes #2)- Loretta Chase

Avon

Release Date: December 1, 2020

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Cassandra Pomfret holds strong opinions she isn’t shy about voicing. But her extremely plain speaking has caused an uproar, and her exasperated father, hoping a husband will rein her in, has ruled that her beloved sister can’t marry until Cassandra does.

  

Now, thanks to a certain wild-living nobleman, the last shreds of Cassandra’s reputation are about to disintegrate, taking her sister’s future and her family’s good name along with them. 

  

The Duke of Ashmont’s looks make women swoon. His character flaws are beyond counting. He’s lost a perfectly good bride through his own carelessness. He nearly killed one of his two best friends. Still, troublemaker that he is, he knows that damaging a lady’s good name isn’t sporting.

  

The only way to right the wrong is to marry her…and hope she doesn’t smother him in his sleep on their wedding night.

________________________________________________________________

London's Society considers Cassandra Pomfret a shrew, a hoyden, a virago, and a gorgon.  In other words, she's intelligent and not willing to pretend otherwise for the sake of delicate male sensibilities. She stands up for others, is interested in political reforms that will help the poor, and doesn't suffer fools- at all.  This includes the man she once had a childhood crush on, the Duke of Ashmont.  She thought he would grow up to be a hero, a man who could accomplish great things to help others.  Instead, he doesn't seem to have grown up at all.  He and his friends are known for outrageous pranks, drinking, fighting, and doing nothing useful with their lives.  When these two meet as adults, will the stars align or things explode?

Cassandra is a great character- a woman who is unapologetically intelligent, fearless, and believes in helping others.  She doesn't play Society's games and so Society shuns her, and she's alright with that. She helps the poor, fights with umbrellas (as weapons, not opponents), and is loyal to those she loves. And while she has no use for useless degenerates, she's fair enough to see when someone has potential- like the Duke of Ashmont.  He unknowingly broke her heart as a young lady, now she isn't going to just hand it over because he says so. She's confident enough in herself and her worth to make him earn it.

I had trouble warming up to Ashmont, who definitely doesn't come across very well in the beginning.  A drunk, a fighter, a man who seems to drown any intellect he has.  He doesn't cause trouble maliciously, but he doesn't generally think of others as he goes through life.  At first glance, not much of a hero.  But he does what so few others are willing to do- he tries to become worthy of the woman he's decided to marry.  Leave off the drinking so he can actually think.  Try to behave around the Royal family no matter how boring that makes things.  And actually listen to the lady he's falling in love with, think about what she says and what is important to her, and discover that it is also important to him.  Ashmont doesn't change to become someone he isn't for the sake of a woman, he becomes who he was always meant to be. 

Full of humor, lively dialogue, and sparkling wit, Ten Things I Hate About the Duke is a satisfying and fulfilling story and a lovely romance.  I will definitely be reading Loretta Chase's other books while waiting for the next book in this series! 

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Immortal Angel

Immortal Angel (Argeneau Series)- Lynsay Sands

Avon/Harper Collins

Release Date: September 29, 2020

Rating:

📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: For almost two centuries, Ildaria Garcia has been on the run, a trouble magnet with a knack for taking down bad guys. Lately, her vigilante tendencies have drawn unwelcome attention to her fellow Immortals. Forced to relocate, Ildaria is supposed to lay low in a new town. Instead, she quickly entangles herself with six and a half feet of muscular, tattooed trouble.

Joshua James Simpson Guiscard, aka G.G., knows a lot about Immortals—enough to make him wary. Yet from the moment Ildaria walks into his club, he feels desire stronger than anything he’s known. Accepting the fact that they might be life mates is disconcerting. But when her past catches up to them, G.G. faces a choice—confront his demons at last, or lose a passion that’s hot as hell.

            ____________________________________________________________________

Lynsay Sands returns to the Argeneau/Immortal series with Ildaria Garcia, who readers met in Vampires Like It Hot.  Ildaria now lives in Canada and is trying to be an accounting student at the local university.  But she has a tendency to not look the other way when fellow students get attacked and that makes staying under the radar in the time of cell phone cameras difficult.  When she gets a job at the Night Club and meets owner Joshua "G.G." Guiscard, all thoughts of vigilantism fly away: G.G. is her life mate.  The problem is, G.G. knows enough about immortals and becoming one to know he doesn't want to turn.  Will he even accept the idea of being life mates? Then Ildaria's past comes back to haunt her and they both have some tough decisions to make.

G.G. is a kind and thoughtful man, an excellent listener, and the perfect partner for Ildaria. He's also a delightful physical contrast that Sands plays up for the smile factor: a large man with tattoos and a huge green mohawk who's completely devoted to a tiny, slightly neurotic, Bichonpoo. In many ways Ildaria seems the younger of the two, despite being centuries older, because she's spent her life on the run from the immortal who turned her and has missed out on living the 'normal' life she is now trying for.  At the same time, those experiences have made Ildaria a careful and capable fighter and you wonderhow long it will be before the Enforcers convince her to join them as a Rogue Hunter. She pulls no punches protecting herself and those who can't protect themselves and, quite rightly, never apologizes for doing what needs to be done.

 Immortal Angel changes pace from many of the books in the Argeneau series: instead of constantly being in danger, running from danger, and trying to fight danger, Ildaria and G.G. get a slower paced story that focuses on their growing relationship.  The pacing works.  Both have childhood traumas to work through and those traumas aren't things that can be shrugged off.  Getting to focus on themselves and the issues that stand between them as life mates makes their relationship deeper and makes the reader highly invested in the outcome.  Lynsay Sands brings some difficult issues to the table- Ildaria's past is full of sexual abuse- and in my opinion Sands did a thoughtful and respectful job of handling possible triggers and the coping mechanisms Ildaira has had to develop over the centuries, but which would ring true to many humans today.  There is still delightful humor and lighter moments run through Immortal Angel: readers will definitely enjoy the damage she shows can be done to large bad guys with a pair of metal heeled high-heel shoes. 

Readers new to the series will enjoy the sweetly developing romance between Ildaria and G.G., their combustible chemistry, and their determination to get to know each other before jumping into a relationship. Interfering friends, motherly manipulation, Immortals dealing with the constant presence of cell phone cameras, and a Bichonpoo who eats everything he shouldn't when left alone add humor along the way.  Long-time series readers will enjoy cameos by other characters, and get to wrap up some of the problems Ildaria encountered in South America during Vampires Like It Hot without throwing off new readers.  

An excellent addition to a delightful series, and a fun read for everyone.

 

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Say Yes to the Duke

Say Yes to the Duke (Wildes of Lindow Castle #5)- Eloisa James
Avon/HarperCollins 
Release Date: May 19, 2020

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Miss Viola Astley is so painfully shy that she’s horrified by the mere idea of dancing with a stranger; her upcoming London debut feels like a nightmare.

So she’s overjoyed to meet handsome, quiet vicar with no interest in polite society — but just when she catches his attention, her reputation is compromised by a duke. 

Devin Lucas Augustus Elstan, Duke of Wynter, will stop at nothing to marry Viola, including marrying a woman whom he believes to be in love with another man. 

A vicar, no less.

Devin knows he’s no saint, but he’s used to conquest, and he’s determined to win Viola’s heart.

________________________________________________________________

After an incident at her first ball years ago, Viola Astley is so shy around men that she can't even contemplate having a Season and finding a husband.  Her happy discovery of a vicar who doesn't terrify her is overshadowed by meeting the stern Duke of Wynter.  But both of them have hidden depths- and the overbearing and seemingly hard duke may be exactly what a shy wallflower needs.

Say Yes to the Duke continues Eloisa James' Wildes of Lindow Castle series with Wilde stepdaughter Viola- who has never really felt like one of the Wildes.  Overshadowed by her taller, more confidante step-siblings, the cripplingly shy Viola is happy to liver her life outside of Society, where only her family and immediate friends can really know the intelligent, witty person behind her quiet facade.  She may be one of my favorite characters of all time- completely relatable, kind, compassionate, and quiet, but willing to stand up for her family and loved ones when needed.  She may not have much self-confidence, but she's stronger than she thinks she is and becomes a delightful surprise to herself and Devin, as well as the reader.  Devin, the Duke of Wynter, starts off as the stereotypical nobleman, confident that he can do whatever he wants and get whatever he wants because he's a duke- and supremely uninterested with most of Society and their ways.  But when Viola goes and does the one thing a woman should absolutely never do if she doesn't want to catch a duke's attention- telling him exactly how rude and overbearing he is and then walking away- Devin finds he has a lot more interest in finding a wife than he had expected.  

Devin and Viola might seem to be opposites on the surface, but still waters run deep and they are completely perfect for each other.  He excels at solving problems, she excels at trying to make people happy.  When they are tested by a vicar and his horrible fiancée on what is right for the people of their entire parish, Wilde hijinks may ensue but true love eases all wounds.  Although Book 5 in a series it will be easy for new readers to start with this as a standalone, and James' brilliant writing and sparkling humor will capture new fans with every page.  A lovely book with passion and sparkling chemistry between Devin and Viola, rapier wit, laugh out loud humorous moments, and an army of cats, Say Yes to the Duke is a perfect must read!    

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Duchess Deal

The Duchess Deal- Tessa Dare
Avon/HarperCollins
Release Date: August 27, 2017

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir—which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:
- They will be husband and wife by night only.
- No lights, no kissing.
- No questions about his battle scars.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own:
- They will have dinner together every evening.
- With conversation.
- And unlimited teasing.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love…

________________________________________________

Returned from Waterloo scarred both physically and mentally, the Duke of Ashbury has decided he needs an heir.  When his fiancee drops him because of his scars and her seamstress shows up at the ducal residence demanding payment for a finished wedding gown, Ash decides she'll do.  Emma at first thinks he's making fun of her, but she's desperate and before she knows it, she's the new Duchess of Ashbury.  Emma doesn't mind Ash's scars but she does refuse to fall in exactly with Ash's plans.  She won't be a wife in bed only.  She's determined to push Ash back into enjoying life, and before she knows it, she's fallen in love with him.  Will Ash break her heart or learn to love again?

The Duchess Deal takes the familiar romance trope of a poor but genteel woman who enters into a marriage of convenience with an obscenely rich nobleman and gives it a refreshing, fun reboot as only Tessa Dare can do.  Emma may be alone in the world, but she refuses to let life's trials beat her down.  She hides her fears, whether she's facing down a strange duke or admitting that she loves him.  Few women, no matter how desperate to get paid, would show up at the home of a duke who has just had his betrothal ended and demand that she pay for his former fiancee's gown.  Fewer still would show up wearing the dress- and then not kill the man who compares her creation to "unicorn vomit". When Ash snaps at her or tells her she can call him 'Duke' if she has to be familiar, she starts keeping lists of the most ridiculous pet names she can come up with to call him. 

Ash is a deeply wounded hero who tries to retreat from the world to protect himself.  He's listened to a few people tell him he's a monster and so he refuses to believe he could be anything else.  He tries to keep Emma at an impersonal distance, rejecting her before she can reject him.  He fights her every step of the way as she drags him back to being himself.  But his wicked sense of humor and basic decency still manage to come through- like when he pretends to be a demon and menaces Emma's vicar father.

Tessa Dare (Do You Want to Start a Scandal?) gives us another gift with The Duchess Deal: delightful characters, sparkling wit, and her trademark brilliant sense of humor.  This fast-paced enjoyable read will captivate you from page one and refuse to let you go. August's release of the next book in this series (The Governess Game) can't come soon enough! A must read for Tessa Dare fans, romance fans, and everyone looking for a good book!

A Daring Arrangment

A Daring Arrangement (The Four Hundred Series #1)- Joanna Shupe
Avon Books/ HarperCollins
Release Date: October 31, 2017

Rating:
📚📚📚

Warning: Potentail Spoilers

Synopsis: Lady Honora Parker must get engaged as soon as possible, and only a particular type of man will do. Nora seeks a mate so abhorrent, so completely unacceptable, that her father will reject the match--leaving her free to marry the artist she loves. Who then is the most appalling man in Manhattan? The wealthy, devilishly handsome financier, Julius Hatcher, of course....
 
Julius is intrigued by Nora's ruse and decides to play along. But to Nora's horror, Julius transforms himself into the perfect fiancé, charming the very people she hoped he would offend. It seems Julius has a secret plan all his own--one that will solve a dark mystery from his past, and perhaps turn him into the kind of man Nora could truly love.

______________________________

Lady Honora Parker has been sent to New York after a scandal in London involving a man her father deems unsuitable for her.  Nora hatches a plan to get engaged to an American so outrageous that her father will have no choice but to call her home and agree that her artist is a good choice after all.  And the incredibly rich, handsome, and scandalous Julius Hatcher fits her plan perfectly.  Julius needs to get into Society to solve a mystery, but riches alone won't buy him entry.  Nora's crazy scheme of a fake engagement seems like the perfect answer.   To Nora's dismay, the scandalous bachelor turns into the perfect fiancé - and to Julius' dismay, Nora turns out to be his perfect match.

A Daring Arrangement is an entertaining story of (seeming) opposites attracting and a conveniently fake engagement turning into one both parties wish was real.  Despite very different backgrounds Nora and Julius are quite similar beneath the surface: both are intelligent, daring, and determined in all aspects of life.  One of the big themes to the book is change: circumstances change, people change, goals change, and the only way to live life is to accept that and be flexible enough to allow change to be a part of your life- sometimes at the difficult expense of pride.  Julius determined he would never marry or have a family because of the tragic, drunken ramblings of his father.  When he discovers how much he enjoys Nora's company, her wit, her conversation, and the intense chemistry between them he's still not willing to consider changing his mind about marriage. Nora was sure her artist Robert was the love of her life, and she's horrified with herself when she develops feelings for Julius.  How can she be so inconstant?  Fortunately her aunt has enough experience with life and love to explain to her the difference between a first love and a true love. 

Secondary characters like her aunt and Julius' friend Tripp don't get quite as much development or 'on screen' time as they deserve but they make the most of every second they have. It's obvious Shupe has done plenty of research into New York and the Gilded Age of the 1890s.  The city and time period are practically characters themselves, immersing the reader in the glittering life of the ballroom and the earthiness of New York dance halls with a perfection that matches her earlier Knickerbocker Club series (Magnate, Baron).

I was hoping for more to the mystery that Julius is trying to solve.  He wants revenge against the Society men who ruined his father- but he doesn't know who they are or have much of a plan on how to figure it out. Nora comes up with a scheme to draw them out, but the whole revenge idea fades disappointingly into the background.  As a plot point it had great potential, especially for the emotional dilemma Julius finds himself in on discovering one of the names, but it pretty much fizzled out.

Despite hoping for a bit more depth to the plot, I enjoyed A Daring Arrangement - especially Julius and Nora and the great chemistry between them (both mental and physical!) and am looking forward to Joanna Shupe's next Gilded Age story.

Immortally Yours

Immortally Yours (Argeneau Series)- Lynsay Sands
Avon Books
Release Date: September 26, 2017

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

Rating (out of 5):
📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: One hundred and twenty-five years is a long time to nurse a crush. That’s how long it’s been since Beth Argenis first met Cullen “Scotty” MacDonald and he instantly became the star of her most X-rated dreams. Back then, he was rescuing her from a Rogue Immortal. Now Beth’s a Rogue Hunter—a damn good one. She doesn’t need saving anymore, despite what Scotty thinks. What she does need is the fierce, wild desire that finally erupts between them.

Scotty has hesitated to claim Beth as his own. But one explosive kiss confirms what he’s long suspected: She’s his life mate. But Beth is tough, fearless, beautiful…and in immortal danger. Unless he wants to lose her forever, he’ll have to rethink everything he once believed about love and destiny as well as confront an enemy who’s terrifyingly close.

________________________________________

With most of the North American Rogue Hunters down in Venezuela dealing with trouble there (Immortal Unchained), Beth Argenis is stuck working with Cullen "Scotty" MacDonald and a group of hunters from the UK who have volunteered to help out in Canada until things get back to normal.  Scotty may star in all Beth's most interesting fantasies but in real life she's pretty sure he can't stand her. So why is he suddenly acting so protective and kind?  Scotty has known for over 100 years that Beth was his life mate but he's waited until he decided she was over past traumas before making his move. The problem is that now that he's decided she's ready, someone else has decided they want Beth dead.  Can they survive a series of violent and creative attacks, figure out who's trying to kill Beth, and manage to work through their own issues to reach a happy ending?

I absolutely loved Beth Argenis. She's had more bad luck than any person should have, dealt with incredible trauma and abuse as a mortal, been turned against her will, spent over 100 years trying to deal with issues that would break other people, and still managed to come out a strong, independent, compassionate, and kick-ass person.  After being attacked by a Rogue she not only learned how to defend herself, she trained to be a Rogue Hunter and protect others.  It took a long time, but she managed to put aside her anger at life and begin to enjoy life and to lover herself for who she is.  Although she has had a crush on Scotty for pretty much her entire immortal life, on discovering that they are possible life mates she isn't willing to drop everything and become who Scotty thinks she should be (or thinks he thinks she should be).  Walking away from him might break her heart but she would rather do that than not be true to herself.  In fact Beth has probably one of the greatest self-affirming speeches ever written where she tells Scotty all that and more.  You are heartbroken by all the suffering she reveals in her life and cheering for her as the person she is today all at the same time.

Scotty is kind of a jerk and takes much longer than he should to arrive at these same conclusions (although in the end at least he admits he's been an arrogant idiot).  He may have spent the past century trying to protect Beth and waiting for her to be ready for a life mate, but he hasn't spent that time getting to know himself or learning from other mated couples the meaning of words like "compromise" and "teamwork".  His actions and ideas may come from the desire to keep Beth safe and happy, but they fall short of the mark.  He actually wants her to have her mind wiped blank to she won't have bad memories! Scotty is slow and Beth has to beat him over the head with the truth a few times (and shoot him a few times) but he does eventually get there.

Immortally Yours gives us plenty of time to think about how we are shaped by out life experiences- both the good and the bad.  It also makes us question how each of us would live as an immortal.  Would we hold on to the terrible things that happen and let them make us bitter or drive us insane?  Would we learn to live in the moment and be proud of who we are and how we've worked to get there?  Scotty and Beth both have traumatic pasts and each had a seriously terrible parent but while Beth has worked hard to overcome her 'daddy issues', Scotty (who's more than 800 years older) hasn't ever admitted that he might have some skewed ideas because of his mother. I wanted to hit Scotty more than once about assumptions he makes when he should have the life experience to know better. Fortunately, so did some of the other characters- and they were more than willing to do it!

Although a part of Sands' Argeneau/Rogue Hunters series, you don't have to have read all the other books to enjoy Immortally Yours.  It's removed enough from other characters or series threads that it would be a good introduction for readers new to Lynsay Sands and her Immortal world, while being connected enough that long-time readers will enjoy glimpses of a few familiar faces.  Fast-paced, with lots of depth to the main characters, and written with Lynsay Sands' trademark humor, Immortally Yours is a fun and fulfilling new addition to the Argeneau canon.  

Immortal Unchained

Immortal Unchained (an Argeneau Novel) - Lynsay Sands
AvonBooks
Release Date: March 28, 2017

Rating (out of 5):
📚📚📚📚📚

Warning: Potential Spoilers!

Synopsis: Ever since Domitian Argenis recognized Sarita as his life mate, he’s been waiting for the perfect moment to claim her. Those fantasies did not include him being chained to a table in a secret lab or both of them being held hostage by a mad scientist. Somehow, they have to escape…

Sarita has seen some crazy things as a cop, but nothing to rival Domitian. A vampire? Seriously? But his healing ability, incredible powers, and their mind-blowing physical connection—none of it should be possible, yet her body knows differently. Now, not only do they have to save each other, but other innocent lives are at stake. Failure is not an option, for Sarita intends that Domitian show her exactly what an eternity of pleasure feels like…

______________________________

Domitian Argenis has known Sarita is his life mate for nearly 15 years. He's waited for her to grow up and become her own person, all the while imagining how he would arrange for them to 'accidentally' meet, how he would romance her, and they would live happily ever after.  None of those fantasies involved him going to the secluded island of a maniac to try and rescue Sarita, or being drugged and waking up chained to a table in a lab where he and Sarita are being held prisoner.  Not quite the romantic beach retreat he'd fantasized about.  Sarita flew to the island off Venezuela to see her grandmother and ended up drugged and trapped with a strange man who claims he's a vampire and she's his life mate. They have to learn to work together to free not just themselves, but all the other victims of a mad scientist.

Long time readers of the Argeneau series have been waiting for this book for awhile.  Sands has been building us up to this Island of Dr. Moreau reminiscent story for the last few books now (Immortal Nights, Runaway Vampire) and Immortal Unchained does not disappoint.  Dr. Dressler is every bit the mad scientist whacko we figured he'd be, and then some!  On the one hand he readily admits that immortals are pretty much people just like anyone else, with families and lives and loved ones.  On the other, he has no problem kidnapping all the immortals he can get his hands on and experimenting on them.  Is he trying to learn how to recreate the original Atlantean nanobot technology?  Does he want to become immortal himself?  Is he just a sick mad scientist who likes torturing people in as many ways as possible?  Does it have to be just one of those?  (hint: no, it doesn't.  Remember, he's a psycho)

Fortunately, the mad doctor doesn't get too much "onscreen" time.  He has set up a remote location as a "romantic getaway" for Sarita and Domitian and they know whatever experiment he's set up, they want no part of it.  It was a lot of fun getting to know Sarita and Domitian and watching them get to know each other while they work on escaping.  Domitian is a great guy who blends complete sincerity with some very smooth lines.  How can you not fall for a man who learned to cook so he could woo his life mate with amazing food (though he didn't eat at the time) and quotes The Princess Bride?  Likewise Sarita is a modern, independent, practical woman who became a cop so she could make a difference and help people.  She has no intention of sitting around and waiting for someone to save her when she can do it herself.  She takes most of the craziness of the island in stride- it's hard to say vampires don't exist when the proof is right there.  There is a great scene where they are getting to know each other and Sarita asks about Domitian's past.  She's able to handle the whole "vampire thing" but when it sinks in exactly how old he is she goes straight for the open bottle of wine!

Sands does an excellent balancing act with the tone for Immortal Unchained.  Obviously with the threat of a mad scientist, Unchained couldn't have the entirely light, often madcap, humor of some of the other Argeneau books.  However, that humor-in-the-face-of-all-odds is also a trademark of any Lynsay Sands book and couldn't be left out here.  I thought Unchained was perfectly balanced between the two.  There's a scene in the beginning where our fears of the doctor are confirmed and Sarita realizes what she's walked into that the overly squeamish may want to skim over.  Very quickly the complete threat the doctor represents is realized, without going into (too) gory details.  No similar scene needed to be written for the entire rest of the book, it haunts us the way it haunts Sarita, threatening the worst while still reminding us that immortals are pretty hard to kill.  We feel the urgency Sarita and Domitian feel to rescue everyone without continually being reminded through additional sessions with the doctor and Sands was smart to leave it that way. 

It's no spoiler to say that we get the expected happy ending while at the same time getting a to-be-continued threat of more trouble to come.  Readers new to Lynsay Sands' Argeneau series will need the first chapter to catch up, but should then enjoy it as much as the rest of us (plus have the additional fun of being able to read the rest of the series for the first time before the next book comes out in September!).  Long time fans get to enjoy cameos by a few Argeneaus and Rogue Hunters we already know and love, while now adding Domitian and Sarita to the extended family tree.  

A great new addition to the Argeneau series, Immortal Unchained lives up to high expectations while opening some new doors for potential future stories.  A must read for paranormal romance fans and Lynsay Sands fans! 

Falling for the Highlander

Falling for the Highlander- Lynsay Sands
HarperCollins/AvonBooks
Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating (out of 5):
📚📚📚📚📚

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

Synopsis: Lady Murine Carmichael has known her share of bad luck. But when her debt-ridden half brother tries to sell her off in exchange for a few Scottish horses, it’s the final straw. If keeping her freedom means escaping through harsh countryside alone, so be it. She has barely begun her journey when she lands an unlikely escort—the brawny Highlander who just refused to buy her virtue.

Dougall Buchanan was disgusted by Lord Danvries’ shameful offer, but Murine tempts him beyond measure. Even bedraggled and dusty, the lass glows with beauty and bravery. Dougall wants to do more than just help her flee. He wants to protect her—with his life and his heart—if she’ll only let him. For Murine may be pursued by a powerful foe, but nothing compares to the fiery courage of a Highlander in love.

____________________________

The latest in Lynsay Sands' historic Highlander series follows Murine Carmichael, who readers familiar with the series will remember as the woman who was fainting all the time in previous books.  Readers less familiar with Sands' work will wonder if it is possible to turn a woman known for fainting into a heroine strong enough to match one of Sands' fiery Highland heroes.  Fear not- it can be done!

Heroine Murine Carmichael may have had more than her share of bad luck over the last few years (both parents dead, several siblings dead, getting stuck with a reprehensible English half-brother as a guardian, her father thinking she was too weak to lead her clan and leaving it to a cousin she's never met . . .) but she has finally reached the end of her patience.  Her half-brother and guardian has not only gambled away her dowry, he is now trying to barter her off in exchange for some horses.  When horse-breeder Dougall Buchanan refuses to accept the deal, brother Danvries starts thinking about who else he could loan Murine out to in order to get enough coin to pay for the horses.  Murine isn't stupid and knows even after Dougall refuses to do business with him, Danvries isn't going to let this new money-making idea go.  She takes the only option she can and runs away.  Her plan is to get to her friends Saidh and Joan, but she quickly lands an unlikely escort- Dougall Buchanan and his brothers!  The Buchanan brothers are gentlemanly enough to offer to help Murine get to safety, but aren't sure how to handle a weak woman on a journey. When they realize Murine is their sister Saidh's best friend (and the woman who saved Saidh from being murdered), they have a hard time reconciling Murine's different facets. Brave, strong, and weak?  As they get to know her they realize the fainting fits are more a lack of food than anything else and that Murine is as brave and strong as any Highland warrior.  Dougall is attracted to her from the beginning and soon the idea of marrying her to protect her from Danvries seems like the perfect solution.  But mysterious accidents, disappearances, and attempted murder soon have them realizing that nothing is as simple as they thought! 

Murine is the type of heroine that I like best- someone who doesn't believe she is brave or strong but is obviously that to those around her.  The more time she spends seeing herself through the Buchanan's eyes instead of her half-brother's the more she comes to believe in herself.  She acts when there is trouble and doesn't depend on others to save her.  These very things appeal to Dougall while at the same time drive him crazy- how can he fall in love with a woman so prone to trouble and so determined to help herself instead of letting him do the rescuing?  It takes the poor man a little while to figure out his emotions and for Murine to believe he's genuine, but in classic Lynsay Sands style, after the mayhem settles, our heroes are confident in both themselves and each other's love.

Falling for the Highlander is everything long-time Lynsay Sands readers expect: full of humor, mayhem, disasters, sweet romance, and sizzling chemistry.  Those new to Sands' books will want to read more (each book in this series is stand-alone and they don't need to be read in order, but characters cameo in them all and if you enjoy one you'll certainly enjoy them all).  If asked to choose a favorite scene I'd be torn between a highly memorable waterfall scene and Murine rescuing the Buchanan brothers from a burning building.  The younger Buchanans are great and scenes where we get to see all the brothers interacting are lots of fun! While the mystery behind who is trying to kill Murine seems pretty obvious- brother Danvries seems pretty tailor made for the role of bad guy- I enjoyed how the Buchanans, Sinclairs, and others pieced together their suspicions and helped Murine to realize that she had a lot of people in her corner. Four armies by the end of the book!  Long-time Sands readers will also keep in the back of their minds that Lynsay likes to throw curve balls to her readers and even a straight-forward mystery is never entirely what it seems!

A fast-paced and fun read full of wit, humor, and heart.  You'll fall in love with Dougall and cheer Murine on to a guaranteed and well-deserved happy ending.