Tag: romance

Favorite Author – Susan Elizabeth Phillips

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I attended Avon’s KissCon in 2016 when it came to a library near me and was able hang out and drink wine with one of my first romance crushes, Susan Elizabeth Phillips. She is just as sparkly and quick as you might expect if you read her books I’m not sure when I read my first SEP romance, but it had to be in the 1990s.

I’ve read all of her books.  They are fast, fun, sassy, and usually feature spunky heroines and alpha male heroes. She infuses her stories with larger than life characters, lots of humor, and real romantic sparks. I don’t read a lot of contemporary romances, but I make the exception for Phillips and am never disappointed.

Some of these I read so long ago, before blogging, and I’m not going to try and give my thoughts on them. Just know that the early ones I loved enough to continue to buy all of her books when they come out.

Wynette, Texas series

Fancy Pants

Lady Be Good.

Glitter Baby.

First Lady.

What I Did for Love. Georgie and Bram hated each other, but a few drugged drinks, a marriage certificate, and a sleazy paparazzi forced them to come to terms with each other, literally.  Georgie could not endure another scandalous marriage so soon after Lance, so she made a deal with the devil.  Bram would stay married  to Georgie for a hefty fee and use her to gain respectability. My thoughts here.

Call Me Irresistable. Lucy, daughter of the former President of the United States, is preparing to walk down the aisle to marry Mr. Perfect, Ted Beaudine ,when her best friend, Meg voices doubts about the marriage.  Lucy takes them to heart and walks out on Ted at the church.  Meg is blamed by everyone and is asked to stay in the small Texas town for a few days to see if Lucy returns.  But not only is Meg completely broke and cut off from her family, she is also stranded in the town when everyone blames her for the heartbreak of their mayor, Ted.   My thoughts here.

The Great Escape. Lucy Jorik’s story has been told by Phillips in First Lady and last year’s Call Me Irresistable.  This time around she gets her own book.  What happened when she walked out of her wedding to the perfect man and jumped on the back of a stranger’s motorcycle?  It’s not easy for the daughter of the first woman President of the United States to disappear, but with Panda’s help she manages to do just that. My thoughts here.

Chicago Stars series

It Had To Be You

Heaven, Texas.

Nobody’s Baby But Mine.

Dream a Little Dream.

This Heart of Mine.

Match Me If You Can.

Natural Born Charmer.

First Star I See Tonight. Coop, a recently retired pro football player is being followed by a  fledgling private investigator.  When he calls her on it she uses her humor and wit to power through all the way to a new job.  Sparks, fly, of course, and there’s plenty of hot sex to keep them panting after each other. My thoughts here.

When Stars Collide.

Simply the Best. Rory is a gifted chocolate maker who makes questionable decisions and her prickly relationship with her younger brother, the quarterback of the Stars. When a neighbor is murdered she must join forces with Brett, her brother’s agent, to keep him out of jail. This book made me want to go to a chocolate shop and try all of the flavors!

Stand Alones

Hot Shot was published in 1991 and I read it then. It was enough to make me a fast fan.

Honey Moon was published in 1993 and I remember loving it, but I’m not going to say more unless I reread it.

Kiss An Angel was published in 1996.

Just Imagine was published in 1984.

I read Breathing Room and according to Good Reads only gave it 3 stars.

Ain’t She Sweet is one of her higher rated ones on Good Reads.

Heroes Are My Weakness. The book opens with our heroine, Annie, having a conversation with her multitude of puppets as she drives to her secluded cabin in the middle of a snowstorm.  It’s those puppets that kept me from investing fully in Annie from the beginning.  She grew on me but the absurdity of the puppets (and their continued butting into the story) turned me off.  My thoughts here.

Dance Away with Me. Tess and Ian are a great couple and their love story was very satisfying, but there was a lot of loss along the way. The book felt very 2020 even though I know it wasn’t written this year. My thoughts here.

This Week – Calm

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These past two weeks have been just what I needed. No travelling, no huge projects. Just my usual happenings. April is a nightmare month for me time wise, so I am trying to soak in every quiet moment. I did have a parent-teacher conference that went very well, and Gage, Jason, and I toured a school together and loved it for Gage. Now I need to schedule testing to see if we can get him in. I did spend an excessive number of hours volunteering at the library, but that’s just fun. I told the library manager this week that sorting and selling donations was my form of therapy.

Posts

February Favorites

Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Books Finished

I’ve read 30 books so far this year.

Judgement Prey by John Sandford, #33 in the Lucas Davenport series, thriller/mystery, 400 pages, 2023

I started this series with book one and haven’t looked back. I realized I was a few behind so I’m making quick work of the last few. If you like police procedurals you should definitely give this series a look. He started as a Minneapolis police detective, but is currently a US Marshal still based in Minneapolis. He has a recurring partner, Lucas Flowers, and an adopted daughter, Letty, who each have their own spin offs.

Too far From Home by Naomi Shmuel, tweens, 4.5 stars, 96 pages, 2020

Set in Israel, it’s a great fiction book that touches on so many issues that kids are going through, moving from home, trying to make friends, racial bias, embarrassment, defiance…. I’d recommend reading it with your preteen.

Meskerem was born and grew up with her parents, sisters, and grandmother in Golan Heights, but the family had to move to Herzelia for her mother’s new job. Mezkerem was sad to leave her friends and grandmother behind.

On the first day of school kids started ridiculing her by calling her, ‘an Ethiopian’. Mezkerem’s mom had been born in Ethiopia and her dad was American. Meskerem became embarrassed by her heritage.

This story is only 89 pages but packs a lot of discussion into those pages.

Walking in Ava’s Shoes by Kathi Howard-Primes, picture book, 22 pages, 2022

Ava has ADHD. The first line of the book…”Just because I act and learn differently-doesn’t mean something is wrong with me.” It goes through her days showing some of her struggles, like trouble listening and the constant need to move, and ways to help, like eating well and getting enough sleep.

The author based this on her now grown daughter and it’s one I’d recommend for elementary classroom read alouds. And school libraries too! The illustrations are cute and it even has an ADHD checklist in the back.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley, 5 stars, historical romance, 364 pages, 1994

This was a re-read for me.

Here were my first thoughts on Goodreads when I finished this one, “My love affair with Susanna Kearsley continues. This was one of her first books and it may be my favorite so far. I didn’t want it to end. I was worried that the ending would be all wrong. But it wasn’t. It was perfect.”  There is something so magical and romantic about her stories.  There is history, romance, and a perfect sense of place in all of her books.  This one also felt a little like a ghost story.

Julia was sure she’d found her house and she packed up and moved from London to a small English village without a second thought.  She was a children’s book illustrator and was able to make a few friends right away just as she was being transported back in time at unpredictable times.

It’s tricky when you are going back and forth between time periods and characters.  Inevitably, you are drawn more to one story than the other.  This one did a great job of tying the two together so I was invested in both.  Was this book, the first time she tried the time travel travel romance, perfect? No.  Was it perfect enough to have me rereading the last few chapters again and again because I wasn’t quite ready for it to end?  A resounding YES!

Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney, 4+ stars, current events, 372 pages, 2023

I posted my thoughts this week here.

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom with Elizabeth & John Sherrill, 5 stars, memoir, 272 pages, 1971

This was a re-read. I posted my thoughts this week here.

Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon by Megan Hess, 4 stars, graphic novel/biography, 218 pages, 2015

The illustrations by Megan Hess in this 200+ pages book are whimsical and fun.

Coco spent much of her childhood in an orphanage in France after her mother died and her father wanted nothing to do with her. She created for herself the life she wanted. “My life didn’t please me so I created my life.” She never married but the love of her life helped her get her start in 1908. She opened her own millinery boutique in Paris.

Everything she touched turned to gold until 1939 when she shut down her 3000 staff salon. She stayed in Paris at the Hotel Ritz with her lover, a German officer, to ride out the war. She fled the country for a number of years after the war before making her comeback.

It’s a beautiful graphic novel for fashion lovers. It wasn’t until after I read this that a friend showed me that Coco had actually been a spy for the Nazis.

Frindle by Andrew Clements, 4.5 stars, kids fiction, 128 pages, 1996

5th grader Nick Allen gets into a war of words with his language arts teacher and it goes further that he could have ever have imagined. Gage and I read it together and had a few laughs and talks about unintended consequences.

How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams. 4.25 stars, romance, 343 pages, 2020

Naya, a professor who is 3 years out of an abusive relationship, is convinced by her best friends to open herself to new experiences. She meets Jake at a bar and the two make a connection. I loved this story with two very likeable people. It was a very realistic story with a lot of spice! The domestic abuse is a significant part of the story and some may find it triggering.

On the Screen

Jason and I like all of the Batman movies and we finally saw 2022’s The Batman with Robert Pattinson. We liked quite a bit. Are you a Batman fan? Christian Bale is still my favorite.

Jason and I finished Oppenheimer just in time for the Oscars tonight. I don’t know if I preferred it to Killers of the Flower Moon, but I get the hype.

Plans for the Weekend

Watching the Oscars!

2023 Five Star Fiction Books

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It’s been another crazy year of reading, with my current total at 343. Much of that has been kids/teens reading through homeschooling and Cybils Awards first round panelist reading. So, like last year, I’m not picking favorites but highlighting my 5 star reads by category.

As I pulled my 5* reads I noticed that this was my year of romance. I’ve always loved romance, but have read less over the years. This year I discovered and went on a bit of a reading binge on two of the authors on this list! I read my first three books by Ali Hazelwood and Katherine Center.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry. 377 pages, 2022

What a great modern day romance! I’m partial to historical romance, but love it when a contemporary is done well. I read People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry and liked it, but this one hit the sweet spot for me.

Literary agent Libby and book editor Charlie had a rocky start, but when they meet in an unexpected place feelings start to thaw and heat up. What reader doesn’t love a book about book lovers?

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. 309 pages, 2022

This is my first Katherine Center book and it was so much fun! In her author’s note she talks about this being a book she wrote during the first year of the pandemic and she wanted it to be full of “as much light as possible.” Mission accomplished!

Hannah was a workaholic who just lost her mother and had her boyfriend break up with her right after the funeral. She’s hired to guard Jack Stapleton, movie star and People’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive,’ after he comes back home and there’s a stalker situation. Hannah steps into the embrace of the family she never had.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. 383 pages, 2021

This was my first book by Ali Hazelwood was so much fun! If you have a thing for smart men, are inspired by intelligent women, and love some spice then this is the romance for you! I loved this book. Stories set in academia always appeal to me. Pure escapism.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston. 368 pages, 2021

I loved this for so many reasons, but let’s start with two. I laughed out loud many times and was brought to tears once. I loved the dry humor, the puns, and the pure escapism.

Florence is the ghost writer for a bestselling romance author in NYC about to miss an impossible deadline when’s she’s called back home to her family’s funeral home in South Carolina. There we find out that in addition to being a ghost writer Florence also sees ghosts. She’s heartbroken in more ways than one, adjusting to her family and small town once again (um, so small the mayor is a dog 😹), when a familiar face shows up on her doorstep with a shimmery aura and a body you can walk through.

Even if you think you know how it’s all going to turn out, you won’t want to miss the ride. I listened to this and loved it.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. 389 pages, 2017

This is so addictively juicy.

Evelyn Hugo was a force to be reckoned with. Abused by her father and determined to become a star, she used the assets she was born with to reach the highest echelons of 1950s Hollywood. She reaches out to Monique, a relatively unknown reporter to write her life story and we find out what can be hidden during a lifetime spent in the public’s eye.

This was a fast read with highs and lows, but always at its heart, a story about the price of fame. I loved it.

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd. 392 pages, 2022

I didn’t really know much of anything about it and went in blind. Finding some maptastic magical realism along the way made me happy 😁

Nell was estranged from her father and her college boyfriend for 7 years because of a disagreement at the NYPL map division, where they all worked. When her dad is found dead in his office it sets off a hunt that Nell can’t quite quit even at great danger to herself.

I really liked this one. There are a lot of characters, but one storyline. I liked learning more about map making. The mystery was good and told at just the right pace to keep me hooked. If you don’t like bits of magic in your book, you might try a different title. 

The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C Cervantes. 368 pages, 2023

This was the perfect book at the perfect time. I love when that happens! It was magical, romantic, and fun. 

The Estrada women are tied to their Mexican flower farm. Each one of them, for generations, has been born with special powers and the ability to help others through spells, like erasing memories or bonding to another person. Harlow didn’t have any such gift and always felt like the odd one out. When she goes home to regroup after a breakup she finds the magic she’s been looking for her whole life.

There are lots of women in this family and something tells me we might see more of these women in the future. 

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James. 370 pages, 2017

Broken Girls was such a haunting read that takes place at a creepy boarding school for girls. It has a 1950s storyline and a current day one, both equally good, a rarity. A found body, a missing girl, a dead sister, a corrupt police department, and old prejudices make this one a fast read.

Oh, did I mention the ghost? I’m not into ghost stories, really, but this one was good!

Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught. 544 pages, 1989

This is reread number 54 of my comfort historical romance novel. Okay, I don’t have an exact number, but over the years I know it’s added up. Some books from your teens don’t hold up, ESPECIALLY romances, but this one continues to please. Lady Elizabeth Cameron is ordered to choose a wealthy husband. Ian Thornton has no intention of settling down. But, as often happens in a romance novel, sparks fly.

The Duchess by Jude Deveraux

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Title: The Duchess, Author: Jude DeverauxThe Duchess. Finished 5-1-16, rating 4.25/5, 362 pages, pub. 1991

Claire Willoughby risked losing her millions in her inheritance if, as decreed by her grandfather, she did not wed an “acceptable” man. Harry Montgomery, the eleventh Duke of MacArran, seemed perfect. He owned a historical castle, he looked manly in a kilt, and he was as much a titled Scotsman as Bonnie Prince Charlie himself.

Their engagement announced, Claire’s future as a duchess was assured — and she set off with her family to meet the Montgomery clan in Scotland. Bramley Castle was a damp, chill place, overflowing with eccentric relatives. But there was also Trevelyan, a secretive, brooding man who lived in Bramley’s ancient halls. Whoever he was, he wasn’t at all like Harry: Trevelyan was the most exasperating, arrogant, know-it-all of a man Claire had ever met. And the most fascinating …

from Goodreads

The older Jude Deveraux historical romances, especially ones that have Montgomery men in hem, are comfort reads.  I used to read romances almost exclusively when I was in my teens and she and Judith McNaught were/are favorites.  I’ve read a few of Devereux’s newer books but they just don’t hold the same appeal.  This one did not disappoint.

Claire, a once-wealthy American, heads to Scotland to spend time with Harry Montgomery, laird of his clan.  It was 1883 and per her grandfather’s will, she must marry a man her parents approve of in order to collect her inheritance, an inheritance her lazy parents have already been spending.  Harry proposes and it looks like a happy ending is assured, until  she meets Trevelyan, the sickly man who lives in the hidden part of the castle.  She is drawn to him as she becomes disillusioned with life in the castle.  Trevelyan appreciates her curiosity and intelligence and Harry would be happy for her to silently watch him hunt all day.

There are evil mothers, mysteries to be solved, exotic people to meet and maybe more than one happy ending.  It’s also full of stereotypical tropes, but they are used well and easily forgiven.  Claire’s younger sister used language that was clearly not of the times, but meant to convey her young attitude.  If you like your romances to be politically correct then this is not for you, but as a lover of the genre I consider it a treat for my brain. I devoured it in two days.

This was from my personal library.

 

 

Seduction by Brenda Joyce

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SeductionSeduction. Finished 10-13-13, rating 3.75/5, pub. 2012, 374 pages

Dominic Paget, the earl of Bedford, will do anything to resume spying upon Britain’s enemies. Badly wounded, he is put will do anything in the care of a beautiful gentlewoman, Julianne Greystone, only to discover that her sympathies lie with his enemies. Yet he can’t help but seduce the woman who saved his life—hoping she never learns of his betrayal.

Julianne is captivated by the wounded stranger she believes is a revolutionary hero. Until she discovers the truth…her “hero” is the privileged earl of Bedford. Devastated and determined to forget him, Julianne travels to London. But when she finds herself in danger, it is Bedford who comes to the rescue. Now Julianne must navigate the intrigues of a perilous city, the wild yearnings of her own heart and the explosion of their passion….  (from Goodreads)

I am a Brenda Joyce fan. I’ve probably read just as many of her books as any other author.  She writes great romances and lots of them, 54 to be exact.  Although I’ve only read about half of those I consider her one of my go to authors when  I’m looking for a romance, especially historicals.  This Regency romance is the first in The Spymaster’s Men series and is a solid first book.  It takes place during the French Revolution and I learned about a lot about the history of the time.  Joyce is obviously fascinated by the period and has done her homework.

Julianne lives in Cornwall with her sister and mother who has mentally checked out. They live in poverty even though the two older brothers do their best.  When they bring Dominic home to be cared for he is near death and Julianne nurses him back to life as she nurses a strong crush on him. A crush that Dom is willing to manipulate so that he might escape back France to continue spying for the Brits.  Julianne for her part is highly sympathetic to the the plight of the revolutionaries, even going as far as forming a secret society to support them.  She believes Dom to be one of the heroic freedom fighters and lets herself fall in love.

I actually found most of the story to this point bland. Both characters were lacking, especially Julianne. For a radical she seemed very naive.  It was after she found out about Dom that the story became fun.  She continued be be naive, but at least she wasn’t afraid to take action.  I thought the time the two spent together in London was classic Joyce and I loved it.  The end, while a bit hard to accept because of one of the pair’s abrupt turnaround, was satisfying.  I liked this one enough to try the next one in the series about Julianne’s sister, if only so I can see visit Cornwall again.

This is from my personal library.

The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James, TLC Tour

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The Ugly DuchessThe Ugly Duchess, Finished 8-25-12, rating 4.25/5, romance, 331 pags, pub. 2012

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke’s passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime…until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry. Society was shocked by their wedding; it’s scandalized by their separation.

– from Goodreads

The first few chapters were very ho-hum for me.  Two privileged people raised together became best friends and find themselves married.  James was a little bland but Theo was more sympathetic.  It’s what happens after they marry that had me reaching for this one every few minutes I could steal throughout the day.  Their lives apart were so interesting that when they finally did reconnect I was ready for the fireworks.  I wasn’t disappointed.

James, Duke of Ashbrook, or Black Jack, came back to London a force to be reckoned with.  He started as best friend husband, but came back as alpha male pirate.  Theo used the time alone well, excelling in all business matters and making their estate thrive beyond all expectation.  She remade herself from the Ugly Duckling to a swan and James is the only one that saw the swan the whole time.  This book will touch anyone who has ever been made fun of for their looks.

I love a good alpha male who is tamed a bit by the love of a smart woman (just a bit.  I don’t want him too tame) and this was just what I wanted.  I thought it was good.  Even the sex scenes, which I tend to skim over when they get too long, were hot.  I should note that finding a good name for a man’s most private part is a challenge in romances and the one chosen by Theo “tool” became a bit of an eye roller.  I read a romance many years ago that called it “life giver” over and over and over.  LG has become a household joke here.

Anyway, Eloisa James has written more novels based on fairy tales and I plan on reading them.  I’m excited to discover a new romance author since there are only a handful I read faithfully.  She has also written an article for USA Today about beauty.  Here’s the link to the insightful story.

Highly recommended for romance fans.

I received this as part of the TLC tour.  Thanks for book ladies!   Check and see what everyone else has to say.

Call Me Irresistible, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

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Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Book CoverFinished 3-2-11, rating 4/5, romance, 385 pages, pub. 2011

Lucy, daughter of the former President of the United States, is preparing to walk down the aisle to marry Mr. Perfect, Ted Beaudine ,when her best friend, Meg voices doubts about the marriage.  Lucy takes them to heart and walks out on Ted at the church.  Meg is blamed by everyone and is asked to stay in the small Texas town for a few days to see if Lucy returns.  But not only is Meg completely broke and cut off from her family, she is also stranded in the town when everyone blames her for the heartbreak of their mayor, Ted.  Needless to say, life is not easy for Meg as the women of Wynette blacklist her and do everything possible to make her life miserable.  But Meg was having problems before getting stuck in town and it forces her to confront her roaming and aimless ways.

I’ve read every Susan Elizabeth Phillips romance.  They are fast, fun, sassy, and usually feature spunky heroines and alpha male heroes.  This is as good as her best and it features wonderful secondary characters who jump off the page.  Meg was born with a silver spoon and yet has done nothing with her life.  This is her story of growing up.  Ted was also born with a silver spoon and can do no wrong.  When these two are forced together they come to recognize the best and worst in each other.

This book will feel like hanging out with old friends, especially if you’ve read any of Phillip’s past books.  Ted showed up in two previous novels (Fancy Pants & Lady Be Good), Ted’s parents were the story of Fancy Pants.  Meg was in What I Did For Love and her parents story was told in Glitter Baby.  Lucy and her parents appeared in First Lady and Lady Be Good had four of the citizens of Wynette.  With all of that the book could have seemed crowded with characters, but it wasn’t.  They each had their own personalities and because they were fully developed characters it made this story so much richer.  You do not need to have read any of the other books to fully enjoy this one.

I don’t read a lot of contemporary romances, but I make the exception for Phillips and am never disappointed.

This is from my personal library.

Historical Romances

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As a teen historical romances were my favorite escape reading and this probably continued through college.  As an English Education major I had to read lots of classics and the historicals were like a reading vacation.  Many people don’t read romances.  Think they are predictable, all about sex, or poorly written and some of them are, but not the good ones.  I’m a romantic and I like knowing that when I pick up a romance it is not going to depress me.  It is a comfort read.

As a teen I read a lot of LaVyrle Spencer, but for the life of me I cannot remember any of them specifically.  I’m going to have to try her again and see what I think.  Here are a few current favorites…

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is not your ordinary historical romance.  It has adventure, history and magic too.  And best of all, it’s smart.  I always recommend this one for those that claim they hate historical romance.  This one is an original.  I’ve read the first four in the series and need to get to the next two.  And if you ever have a chance to hear Diana Gabaldon speak, do it!  She’s a delight.

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati is another great one and it doesn’t get enough attention.  This one is set in 1792 when an Englishwoman settles in New York village.  She meets a Mohawk and finds herself drawn to him and his ways.  Not your typical romance.  It’s smarter and full of great beauty.  It also has several sequels, although this one can be read alone, there are no cliff hangers to make you continue.

I have two favorite authors of historical romance.  The first is Judith McNaught.  I have read Almost Heaven many times over the years, followed  closely by A Kingdom of Dreams.  I’ve read every book she’s written and her historicals are the best.  It seems that she has stopped writing historicals, but her contemporaries are good too.  Brenda Joyce is another favorite.  I’ve never been disappointed in her historicals.  I reread her Deadly series this year and a few other recent favorites are The Fires of Paradise and Splendor.  She’s written so many books that I haven’t read them all, but hope to read all of the historicals someday.

So, do you read historical romances?  Do you have a favorite that I should add to my wish list?

Deadly Illusions, by Brenda Joyce

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Cover ImageFinished 3-13-09, rating 4/5, romance, pub. 2005

This is Book 7 in the Deadly series (Book 1) (Book 2) (Book 3) (Book 4) (Book 5) (Book 6)

Francesca had always assumed she would one day marry a man like her father, someone respectable, admirable, honorable, a reformer and an activist – someone like Rick Bragg.  Instead, she was engaged to the city’s wealthiest businessman and most notorious womanizer.  She still remained uncertain as to how this had happened, and so quickly.  One moment she was friends with the enigmatic and oh-so-charismatic Hart and he was under suspicion for murder.  The next, they were secretly engaged – until he had taken matters in his own hands, tired of her procrastination, making a public announcement.  How had she fallen in love with Calder Hart?  And was it even love?

Chapter 2

It’s now April 1902 in New York City and the beautiful heiress and brave sleuth Francesca finds herself engaged to a man whose very look can make her heat up.  When she begins investigating a murder Calder tags along and she is again caught between her fiance and former flame, Calder’s half-brother, Rick Bragg, the police commissioner.  Rick has enough personal problems of his own as his estranged and now handicapped wife comes home from the hospital.

The mystery in this one was very good.  Women were being attacked and even killed by the Slasher and there was no shortage of suspects.  And I love how there is never a wasted character in this series – they all show up again at some point, making it easy to get invested in their lives.  I loved this as a continuation of Francesca and Calder’s love story, but all is not smooth sailing for the couple.  They are both plagued by doubts and Francesca’s father has decided not to allow the engagement to continue. 

This was from my personal library.

Deadly Caress, by Brenda Joyce

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Deadly Caress by Brenda Joyce: Book CoverFinished 2-18-10, rating 4/5, romance, pub. 2003

Book 5 in the Deadly series (Book 1) (Book 2) (Book 3) (Book 4)

Francesca Cahill and Rick Bragg are having a few problems.  Rick’s wife is back in town a determined to make a go of their marriage.  Rick’s brother, the cad Calder Hart, is determined to marry Francesca.  There’s also another killer on the loose in the streets of New York City and the Cahill house is in disarray after Evan is almost beaten to death because of his gambling debts.  Francesca’s sister, Connie is still trying to come to terms with her husband’s infidelity and in 1902, women did not leave their husbands if they cheated.

So, you know by my reviews of the first four books that I love this series, but it is not perfect.  I haven’t mentioned yet, but this series starts in January 1902 and at the end of this fifth book it is February 1902.  That is a lot to happen in such a short time.  I don’t understand why she chose to write the series this way, especially since I distrust romances when the heroine falls in love so fast.  Because I love the characters I can overlook it, but it still doesn’t make sense to me.

There was sex in this one!  And it was angry sex.  I didn’t like it.  I don’t mind a little sex, it’s to be expected in a romance, but I like it to be romantic.  I’m surprised that of the five books of this series so far, only three actually have sex in them.  It’s a nice change of pace from your typical romances.

So, the series is fun, but not perfect.  Only three left to catch up.

 This was from my personal library.