Book Review ~ Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage by Rebecca Connolly

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Title:  Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage by Rebecca Connolly

Series:  Supposed Scandal

Pages:  248

Date Published:  November 29, 2021

Publisher:  

 Blurb:

One good scandal deserves another...

Lady Alexandrina Lawson has never minded her widowhood. After the disaster that was her first marriage, she found it rather enjoyable, despite the pity she received. What the public saw as devoted mourning to a respected man was, in fact, a complete disinterest in participating in anything Society could offer her ever again. When an invitation to a cousin's London event proves disastrous for Alexandrina, her reputation, and that of her child, her choice becomes simple: rescue or ruin.

Enter Taft Debenham, Earl of Harwood.

Taft could not have less interest in Lady Lawson or her cold manner, but neither could he stand by and let her suffer a forced marriage to a drunken idiot. Sacrificing himself on the altar of Society, thinking how his own reputation might benefit, he provides a rather clever solution: marry the woman himself, and claim outrage for the offenses against her. Over the protests of his bride, and those of his own sanity, Taft begins the greatest scheme he could ever imagine. Nothing surprises him more than beginning to discover that his wife has a heart beneath her icy exterior.

And that he would do almost anything to claim it.

My Thoughts:

My thoughts on this book are very ho-hum!

In fact I quit reading with 50 pages left to go!  I know I should have just finished it but I found myself putting off reading and that just is not a good sign.  That is the sign of a reading slump and I don't want that when I'm doing so well with my 1 book per week goal for 2022.

I'm going to count it a finish even though "technically" it was a DNF.  But I was so close!!!!

You may be asking why it was just a ho-hum book for me.

Well, the characters were just not very likable!  I thought the leading lady was just plain mean at times and the hero was a bit insipid.  There just wasn't much depth to either character.  At least that is how I felt.

I feel terrible when I have to write a not-so-favorable review.  Maybe it was just my mood as I'm a mood reader at heart.

I downloaded this book to my kindle through Kindle Unlimited.

Onto the next book!

Book Review ~ Her Unsuitable Match by Sally Britton

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Title:  Her Unsuitable Match by Sally Britton

Series:  Supposed Scandal #1

Pages:  268

Date Published:  October 25, 2021

Publisher:  

 Blurb:

Lady Philippa must wed to gain her fortune and freedom. A former soldier wants only peace and seclusion. Marriage to each other is their best solution.

Lady Philippa Gillensford is three and twenty, an heiress, and sister to a penny-pinching earl. After rejecting every bachelor her mother approves of, Philippa is ready to take her future into her own hands. Though she doubts she’ll marry for love, she is more than willing to marry for freedom from her family’s influence.

Myles Cobbett has withdrawn from Society, content to remain alone after surviving the horrors of the Napoleonic wars. When a friend convinces Myles to attend a ball benefiting wounded veterans like himself, Myles meets the lively Lady Philippa. Shortly thereafter, to help Philippa avoid scandal, Myles rescues her from a complete cad.

Sensing a chance to escape her family’s control, Philippa convinces Myles he must marry her to save her reputation. In exchange for this favor, Philippa promises him the very thing he thought he always wanted: a quiet life, alone in the country.

While the two put on a show of marital happiness for their neighbors, both realize they want much more from this arrangement. Can they take a marriage of convenience and turn it into a love match? 

My Thoughts:

I really liked this book, my first written by the author Sally Britton.

I love when the hero has scars (literal and figurative) and the heroine falls in love anyway.  It is such an endearing theme.

I loved the storyline of the family trying to get what I would call a Veteran's Hospital started.  My dad is a veteran and does all his doctoring at our local VA Hospital.  They are marvelous!

I didn't know this book could be read as a sequel to His Unexpected Heiress.  I felt a little out of the loop, but the author did a great job of making this a stand-alone book as well.

Her Unsuitable Match is also a part of a series called Supposed Scandal.  And who doesn't love a good scandal ?  :)

I downloaded this book from Kindle Unlimited.

Onto the next book!

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Clean Regency Romance ~ 11/16/2021

Books to Read if You Love Clean Regency Romance:

I fell in love with reading because of Regency Romance novels.  (And not the "clean" ones if you know what I mean)  I loved the history, the descriptiveness and, yes, the steam!  However, as I grew in my faith, I felt led to read clean romances.  The well-written ones can still be steamy without being smutty.

Following is a list of ten Clean Regency Romances that I enjoyed.  Click on the picture to go to my review :)

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

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Please leave a comment with the link to your Top Ten Tuesday post so I can return the visit :)

Book Review ~ To Catch A Suitor by Sarah Adams ~ 1/13/2021

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Title:  To Catch a Suitor by Sarah Adams

Series:  Dalton Family Book #2

Pages:  282

Date Published:  March 1, 2020

Publisher:  

 Blurb:

She needs to move on. He wants to let her go. Will they finally be able to go their separate ways even though their hearts seem to have other plans?

Elizabeth Ashburn is madly, deeply, irrefutably in love with her best friend. They know each other better than their own minds. There is only one problem: To him, she is Little Lizzie, and nothing she does seems to replace the idea in his mind. No matter. It is her first Season and she is determined to make a match with a gentleman—any gentleman—who will help her steal her heart back from Oliver Turner and his sea-blue eyes.

Oliver Turner can remember the exact day that Lizzie grew up. And now, he cannot see her as anything besides the beautiful woman stealing his breath—no matter how much he needs to. He won’t marry her. He can’t. He loves her too much for that. Now, he simply needs to help marry her off so that she will officially be out of his reach.

My Thoughts:

Sigh...

For me this was one of THOSE books!

You know, the kind that you can't wait to see the characters you love get together but at the same time, you don't want the book to end!

After reading the first book of this series, "To Con a Gentleman", I knew that I had to read the whole series by this author.  Sarah Adams is seriously one of the my favorite authors right now.

I loved getting to know Elizabeth and Oliver better and reading about what they thought was unrequited love.  So many times, their love was just within reach but then the author would put it off.  It was excruciatingly wonderful!  (if that makes sense!)

Elizabeth was such a fun character.  And Oliver...sigh...a perfect hero.

I really enjoy the friendship-to-love trope and this was definitely no exception.

I can't wait to get my hands on more books by this author.

Also, this was my first book of the year 2021!  How exciting to have one "in the books"!

Onto the next book!

Colletta

P.S.  I'd love for you to come visit my SHOP!

Book Review ~ To Con a Gentleman by Sarah Adams

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Title:  To Con a Gentleman by Sarah Adams

Series:  Dalton Family Book #1

Pages:  284

Date Published:  November 1, 2019

Publisher:  Amazon Digital Services

 Blurb:

He was her target. She was his diversion. Falling in love was never something they wanted.

As a con woman who has spent her entire life fending for herself on the streets of London, Rose Wakefield knows how to scam a gentleman out of his money without ever getting caught. That’s until she knocks on the wrong earl’s door and is faced with Carver Ashburn Earl of Kensworth and not the notorious rake she thinks she is approaching.

Carver is a good man, but even a good man will not pass up an opportunity to escape his grief. What better way to avoid his feelings than to play into a con woman’s ruse and offer to marry her?

Things only grow more complicated when Carver sweeps Rose off to his family estate and circumstances force them both into continuing the ruse. Carver needs to protect his family, and Rose needs to protect herself—and her heart.

With so much set against them, will Rose and Carver have a chance at love and freedom? Or is the possibility of more heartache not worth the risk?

My Thoughts:

With this book, I've completed my Goodreads 2020 Challenge!  I set my goal at a realistic 26 books and am happy that I have met and will surpass that goal.

Now, onto what I thought of "To Con A Gentleman" my very first read by this author, Sarah Adams!

Within the first few chapters, I was actually laughing (quite literally) out loud!  I don't want to give too much away but there is a scene that involves a coach seat that was hilarious!

As always, I love Regency novels, especially romances. I knew as soon as I read the blurb for this book that it was one that I would enjoy.  The premise was unique.  The writing was inviting and captivating.

Carver had just the right amount of angst.  Rose had just the right amount of backbone.  They were perfect for each other.  Once, they moved past the the past and looked to the future.

I wondered how the author would tie in everything in the end and I was especially pleased.  The ending was wonderful :)

I downloaded this book from Kindle Unlimited and am very excited to say that I've already downloaded the next book in the series, "To Catch A Suitor".  I have some Christmassy books to read first for the HoHoHo Read-a-Thon that starts Thursday.  So many books, so little time!

Onto the next book!

Colletta

Book Review ~ A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter

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Title:  A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter

Series:  Hawthorne House #0.5

Pages:  159

Date Published:  July 7, 2015

Publisher:  Bethany House

 Blurb:

Miss Amelia Stalwood may live in London at her absent guardian's townhouse, but she's never actually met any nobility, and instead of aristocrats, her closest friends are servants. Quite by happenstance, she's introduced to the Hawthorne family and their close family friend, Anthony, the reformed marquis of Raeburn. They welcome her into their world, but just as she's beginning to gain some confidence and even suspect she may have caught Anthony's eye, she's blindsided by an unexpected twist in her situation accompanied by nasty rumors. Will she lose her reputation when the world that has only just accepted her turns its back on her, or will she rest in the support of the friends who've become like family and the man who's shared his faith and captured her heart?

My Thoughts:

I've long admired the covers of Kristi Ann Hunter's novels.  I was so excited when I found this the ebook for Kristi's novella that begins the Hawthorne House series.  It was actually a free download at the time!

I've said before on other reviews how I absolutely adore regency romance.  I also love a story of redemption.  This book combines the two in a sweet, clean, inspirational read!

Amelia's upbringing and way of life were very unconventional and actually quite humorous at times.  Even thought was a lady of "quality" she had more friends who were servants than not.  I loved how she saw the servants as the people they were and not just as fixtures of convenience.

Anthony had a checkered past and was well known as "The Raebourne Rake".  His reputation was not stellar.  However, he had changed his life, with the help of his friends at the Hawthourne House.  Still, he had trouble leaving his past in the past.  He felt that he was no better than he had been and quite simply had trouble forgiving himself even though he had been forgiven.

 I loved the sweetness of Anthony and Amelia's love story.  To me this was the perfect start to a promising series :)

On to the next book!

Colletta

Book Review ~ Fall From Grace by Jennie Goutet

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Title:  Fall From Grace by Jennie Goutet

Series:  Clavering Chronicles Book #1

Pages:  236

Date Published:  April 13, 2020

Publisher:  

 Blurb:

She needs a champion. He needs one less person to worry about.

Selena Lockhart comes with neither fortune nor connections, and she knows better than to expect Society to give her a welcome—especially after her father gambled away his fortune, precipitating the family’s sudden fall from grace and Selena’s betrothed to break off the engagement. It therefore comes as no surprise that her new neighbor, Sir Lucius, treats her with disdain. Why should he look beyond appearances when her own promises so little?

Sir Lucius Clavering is not married, but he may as well be, considering he is expected to escort his widowed mother to watering holes, round out the numbers at his married sister’s dinners, and come to the aid of his scapegrace younger siblings. It doesn’t help that single women and matchmaking mamas jostle each other for his face, fortune, and title so that he’s left without a moment’s peace.

When Selena shows up at Lucius’s doorstep looking for help, he is sure it’s another ploy aimed at cutting up his prized bachelor existence. Although his prejudice does not last long, Lucius fears his first reaction might have ruined his chances with her. How can he save her from Society’s teeth when she continues to hold him at arm’s length?

My Thoughts:

I am so excited to write this book review!  This is the first book I've read for the #20booksofsummer20!   Whoohoo!  This is my absolute favorite reading challenge :)

This is also the first book I've read by Jennie Goutet.  It will NOT be my last!  I absolutely adored this, the first book in the Clavering Chronicles!

I grew up reading Regency romance and this took me right back to those summer of being a teenager and reading about the ton and all that Regency entails without once going to London for a season!  :)

Lucius, of course, was the perfectly imperfect hero.  There were times when I would have liked to slap him up-side the head!  Then he redeemed himself, of course.

Selena held her own even after "falling from grace", when in all actuality it was beyond her control.  I was pleased with how much pride see showed in herself.  She didn't let those "above" her station take advantage of her even if it did verge on reverse prejudice.

I loved the secondary characters, even Lady Harrowden!

I can't wait to read more about the Claverings.

I downloaded this book through Kindle Unlimited.

On to the next book!

Colletta

Book Review ~ Love in the Bargain by Kasey Stockton

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Title:  Love in the Bargain by Kasey Stockton

Series: Women of Worth Book #1

Pages:  240

Date Published:  April 26, 2019

Publisher:  Kindle Unlimited?

 Blurb:

A vow to remain unwed ​and a bargain designed to find her a husband.
What could possibly go wrong?

Elsie and her two best friends made a childhood vow to never marry.

But when Elsie begins her first season in London, her mother presents her with an irresistible bargain: if she says yes to each and every man’s invitations and still remains unattached by the end of the season, she will receive her inheritance and become a free woman.

She is thrown into the spotlight by increasing attention in the newspaper gossip articles, and keeping her end of the bargain seems impossible—especially when her best friend’s tyrant of a brother, Lord Cameron, begins to make advances that Elsie literally cannot refuse.

The gossip grows increasingly malicious, leaving destroyed reputations and broken homes in its wake, and Elsie can’t seem to escape its focus. But it’s her own blossoming feelings for Lord Cameron that pose the greater threat. If she can’t keep him out of her heart, she’s sure to compromise the bargain, break her vow, and lose her one shot at freedom for good.

My Thoughts:

"Love in the Bargain" is the first book in the "Women of Worth" Series by Kasey Stockton.

I'm truly not sure how I felt about this book.

The first half of the book was setting up the characters for the series but it felt like forever before the story really started rolling.  There really wasn't much of even a hint of romance until over halfway through the book.

One of my issues is the book was written in first person from the POV of Elsie.  Personally, I prefer third person stories where I get to know what is going on in multiple character's heads.  For so much of the book, I felt like I was in the dark because I truly didn't have a clue what was going on except for Elsie's POV.

I did truly enjoy the premise and the characters.  Once the story got going (about 50% through) I couldn't put it down because I had to know what in the world was going on!  lol  At some points, I was so confused!

The last chapter or two were the best, where everything was coming together I finally got to know what was going on with Rosalynn and Freya.

I will definitely give the second book in the series a go :)

I read this book through Kindle Unlimited.

On to the next book!

Colletta

Book Review ~ A Heart in the Balance by L.G. Rollins

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Title:  A Heart in the Balance by L.G. Rollins

Series: Lockhart Regency Book #3

Pages:  266

Date Published:  April 10, 2020

Publisher:  ???

 Blurb:

Protect her reputation? Or save a man’s life? How does a lady ever choose?

Lady Cassandra Lockhart is determined to stop anyone that might taint the night her brother announces his engagement—not gossipy ladies nor backhanded Peers. When she sees a gentleman slip from the ballroom, Cassandra assumes the worst; he is off to rendezvous with a young lady. Such would surely spell disaster for the night. Certain she alone can protect her family’s good name, Cassandra hurries to stop him.

Lord Nigel Southcott is nervous about meeting his informant. They’ve never met at a ball before. Why now? Still, at the predestined hour, he slips from the ballroom and into the trees and shadows that line the Lockhart estate. Only too late, he realizes it’s a trap set by the infamous Le Renard. Equally as surprising is the beautiful stranger who comes to his aid.

To protect Nigel, Cassandra agrees to keep him hidden from those that wish him harm, knowing full well that doing so puts herself in danger of gossipmongers and French spies alike. Her reputation is on the line, but so is Lord Nigel’s life. What else can she possibly do? Even among the secrets and stratagem, a connection between Nigel and Cassandra forms. But Le Renard is not willing to give up his prey so easily. Will Nigel and Cassandra’s wit and blossoming love be enough to save them? Or will the growing subterfuge swallow them both?

My Thoughts:

This is the third book in the "Lockhart Regency" series by one of my newest favorite authors, L.G. Rollins.  I'm now completely caught up with the series :)

This book was fantastic!  I loved the whole spy, in hiding, aspect of the story.  I also love that the author writes such clean, wholesome books.

I "met" Cassandra in book one of the series and she also appeared in book 2 of the series.  (I definitely recommend reading them in order as the characters of the Lockhart family are very intertwined.)

At first, I thought Cassandra was a bit of a nitwit and was only concerned about appearances.  The author does a wonderful job evolving Cassandra's character into an intelligent, witty, brave woman.

Nigel was a bit abrupt and grouchy to an extent but that was part of his appeal.

I have loved this entire series so far and can't wait to read more stories by this author.  I believe Quentin is up next :)  I'll have to put it on my wishlist :)

On to the next book!

Colletta