Tracey

Tracey

I'm a 40 something avid reader of pretty much anything, have 2 kids, a cat and a husband along with a 2 seater convertible (mid life crisis car!). While I read pretty much anything I particularly enjoy paranormal romance, historical romance and general romance - guess I am sucker for a happy ending.

The Proposal by Mary Balogh

May 182012
 

A reluctant war hero, Hugo comes from a wealthy middle class family becoming a Lord by virtue of heroic acts in the Napoleonic Wars. He has a chip on his shoulder the size of a mountain, particularly towards the upper class members of society – excluding his best friends of course. They call themselves the Survivors Club and look forward to their reunion once a year where they can reflect and renew friendships.

Lady Gwendoline Muir lost her husband to a freak accident and has a permanent limp from a riding accident. She has had no desire to remarry, being content with her life and her extended family. While visiting an acquaintance, circumstances conspire to have her at the house where Hugo and his friends are staying.

Tracey’s review

What a fantastic book, this is historical romance at its very best in my opinion.

Hugo is  a scowling hero, he rarely smiles in the book but when he did it made my heart go a-flutter – it probably wouldn’t have happened if he scowled less and smiled more and the author describes him so well I could see it very clearly. I really enjoyed the fact that Hugo came from a different background to the usual in these books and I so wanted to give him a big hug and make it all better. I do feel at times he could have been a bit more masterful and less ‘woe is me’ and there was one instance when I wanted him to turn round and hit someone. At the end of the day though it did all fit in with his uneasiness at not being being part of the ton by birth and his survivor’s guilt.

As a widow in her 30′s Gwendoline knows her own mind and has been around the ton long enough to be able to steer Hugo and his sister as appropriate. It was interesting to see the heroine being a sponsor at a ton ball instead of the one being swept off her feet. It makes a change for the female to be the self assured one and not the male.

This book is very romantic, but at no point did the story become boring or too mushy. The descriptions were excellent and it was good to see how the other half live in the regency period, not just the ton. The love affair was not all plain sailing of course - it never is, but the difficulties and problems seemed very real and true to the period in history. Unlike a lot of similar books the relationship was a  slow burn rather than from hello to sex in no time at all! At the end of the book I had that satisfying warm fuzzy feeling I so love.

The prose, description and sheer romance of this book are fantastic and I look forward to more books about the ‘Survivors Club’.

This is only the second book by this author I have read but I am definitely looking forward to more and I think I have a large back catalogue to catch up on!

Grete’s Review

I’m a relative newcomer to historical or regency romance, having been persuaded to try it by Tracey.  I’ve loved the authors I’ve tried so far and this is the first book by Mary Balogh I’ve read.  It had a bit more of a formal tone to the writing than I expected but it’s not a bad thing, just different from some of the other authors.  It did take me a little while to get into it but once I’d warmed to the characters, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down.

Like Tracey, I loved seeing two sides of the regency period, both upper and middle class, and how they stay separate and view each other and then what happens when they mix.  The catalyst for the successful blend is definitely Gwen who is a wonderful character and as wounded in her heart as the members of the Survivors Club.  I love that it didn’t make her bitter and resentful, instead she was sweet and generous with a brilliant touch of humour.

Hugo, poor man has been to hell and back and again, I can only agree with Tracey on his rare smiles.  They were used to brilliant effect by Mary Balogh and had a lot of impact when they appeared.

I liked the build up of the romance, that first passionate encounter was really well timed and the following ‘will they, won’t they’ added a lot of tension but wasn’t frustrating in the least.

This is definitely not a book filled with clever plot twists and turns and in all honesty, it would have ruined it, had it been.  It is simply pure passionate and wonderful romance at its best.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Book Information

Why I read Romance

May 172012
 

If you are a regular reader of www.bookthing.co.uk you will know I have a particular penchant for romance and will read almost anything with a romance label no matter what genre it is!

I was asked the other day why I enjoy reading romance. I guess the simple answer is I love happy endings. It is also pure escapism but certainly not because anything is missing in my home life – indeed I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 20 years and I love him just as much now as I did all those years ago.

Happy endings are very important to me, I feel cheated if I have been reading a book and there is no happy ending – I appreciate not all books have happy endings just the ones I choose to read usually do. For me when reading I like to experience the emotions, and while I don’t mind going through a whole range of emotions, I fine reading needs to give me warm fuzzies at the end and not leave me feeling like I want to go kick something or drown my sorrows at the unfairness of life!

My first romance love has always been historical romance, I love history so combining that with romance is a win win for me. I really enjoy reading about times gone by (not always sure how accurate some of the descriptions are mind you) and as long as the description is there to allow me to immerse myself in the period I am happy. I think I was born in the wrong century. Authors who do the historical romance well for me include Gaelen Foley, Stephanie Laurens and Sarah Maclean – but there are so many I cannot list them all.

My other great love is paranormal romance – which I was only introduced to a couple of years ago (thanks Grete)! I cannot believe I spent so many of my 40 something years not knowing of its existence.  There is something extra sexy about a man with fangs or a man who goes wild – literally!

I like my romance stories to be at least 200+ pages, in my view you cannot get an interesting romance going in less than this and indeed when I have read short kindle books I am often left feeling that everything was just a bit too rushed.

What makes a good romance story for me? The men have to be hot (of course) and the women feisty. I enjoy stories where the protagonists argue a lot but I get irritated with misunderstandings. If the misunderstandings are only there for a short while it’s okay but if the whole book is based on one big one it gets me really annoyed and I am likely to put it to one side. A good dose of sex is always good but for me it does not make or break a good book, although it usually improves a mediocre one. I also really enjoy those books where we get an epilogue, a peek into the future (happy) lives of our hero and heroine.  This is also why I enjoy reading books that are part of a series involving different protagonists but with previous characters on the periphery. Authors I enjoy who do this well include Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward and Stephanie Laurens to name just a very few.

In summary I love romance, am a sucker for happy endings and am just a total sap and thanks to Grete and BookThing! I have discovered so many more wonderful authors to indulge my passion.

Tracey

My Ruthless Prince

May 142012
 

Drake Parry, the Earl of Westwood has turned traitor and betrayed the Order and his fellow Inferno Club members. Emily Harper, a gamekeeper’s daughter who has loved him since childhood does not believe this and follows him to the wilds of Bavaria hoping to prove to them all, and herself, that he could never turn into what they said. On finding Drake it seems her worst fears have been realised, that this hard, deadly and furious man is not the one she remembered – is hope really lost?

Another great story from Gaelen Foley although I have to admit not my favourite. This is the second Inferno Club novel I have read but the fourth in the series. There are a lot of references to things that happened in previous books that have a big impact on this story, and with that in mind it would have been better to read this series from the beginning. I easily managed to pick up the threads of why Drake is where he is but I do think this may be why I did not enjoy it quite as much.

The plot very definitely overshadows the romance in this book although in all fairness there is no ‘do they or don’t they’ as it is clear they are in love from the beginning. While I do love my romance the plot was very gripping and I was on the edge of my seat throughout, it was very tense! It is clear there have been large chunks dealing with Drake and Emily in previous books and if I had read the previous ones I would be much more invested in the characters. Having said that, I love Drake which is probably a good thing as if I was even more invested it would have been even more intense and I would probably have been in tears!

My only criticism would be Emily – would a female, even a gamekeeper’s daughter really trek halfway across Europe alone and with little money in the 1800′s? That’s the power of love I guess, even if it does seem a bit far fetched!

Overall another great book definitely worth reading if you are a fan of Gaelen Foley or historical novels in general.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Book Information

Scandalous – Tilly Bagshawe

Apr 242012
 

When Sasha Miller enters Cambridge University as an innocent 18 year old with an aptitude for physics she has a dream. A dream which is soon destroyed along with her reputation thanks to her professor Theo Dexter. Humiliated and vilified Sasha is forced to watch as Theo goes from strength to strength taking America by storm. Sasha decides there and then that the sole purpose of her life will be to destroy Theo and clear her name any way she can.

This book was an enjoyable read in the style of Jilly Cooper. The descriptions were vivid and I found it easy to imagine myself there. The story moved from Cambridge to America and the plot managed to dance across the continents quite nicely.

The story deals with betrayal and revenge with a side helping (very small side helping mind you) of romance. The final happy ever after was so quick that if you blinked  you would have missed it which was a bit disappointing. However, this is not primarily a romance novel and so I guess it was a bonus to have any romance in there.

The plot was easy to follow without the complicated twists you sometimes get in books which leave you scratching your head and having to backtrack to find out what just happened! I do think some of the characters were a bit over the top, stereotypical and you knew exactly where the story was going, but just how Sasha would get her revenge was not immediately obvious.

Despite these comments it is not by any means a depressing story (although there is definitely no humour there!) and would be a great book to take on holiday and read on the beach – if you like chick lit this one is for you.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

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Slightly Married

Apr 232012
 

A dying man’s plea on a battlefield in France and a solemn vow made in payment of a debt leads Colonel Lord Aiden Bedwyn to Ringwood manor and Miss Eve Morris. Realising the extent of her plight Lord Aiden offers her a marriage based on pure convenience intending to leave her alone to live her life. He reckoned without his brother the Duke of Bewcastle!

This is a story by an author I have never read before and I absolutely loved it. It seemed to have a much sounder historical basis than the usual regency romances I read (but in reality I do not know that much about the period!) and the behaviour of Aiden and Eve seemed much more what you would expect of individuals in this time period.

The descriptions within the book were rich and easy to picture without being over the top. There was not as much sex as in some other regency books – but there was some and what there was, was enough for the story!  While there was no major plot, action or adventure running alongside the relationship between the two protagonists,  the story had me completely captivated throughout. Don’t get me wrong, a lot happens and it was plenty to keep the story moving.

It was very much about introducing the Bedwyn family as well and I understand the other siblings (there are a few – yay lots of books) will be getting their own stories also. I look forward to finding out more about them and cannot wait to read more books by this author.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Book Information

The Edge of Desire

Apr 042012
 

Christian Allerdyce, the Marquess of Dearne is the last remaining bachelor among the men of the Bastion Club. After the devastating betrayal he suffered 8 years ago he has no desire to take a wife even though he knows he soon must.

Lady Letitia Randall has no-one to turn to when her husband is murdered, her brother has disappeared making him the prime suspect and in desperation she calls upon the one person she thinks can help.  He also happens to be the one person who betrayed her when she needed him most.

I really enjoyed this book which had a solid interesting and believable plot alongside the romantic element. As you can probably tell from the brief words above there is a major misunderstanding between our two protagonists. I do find myself getting annoyed when a major misunderstanding drags on too long and starts to take over the story. Fortunately this does not last much past a hundred pages and, while other issues arise from it, I did not have to spend my time getting annoyed because of it!

The Bastion Club series is a different style of books from other ones by Stephanie Laurens, such as the Cynster series, in that the romance story always seems secondary to the action element. By action I do not mean pistols at dawn or fighting scenes,  more the fast paced ‘whodunnit’ element of the plot. There is of course plenty of sex and with Letitia not being an innocent virgin, these scenes move along quite rapidly and get very steamy *fans self a few times!*

I was surprised at the reaction of the ton to seeing Letitia frequently in the company of another man so soon after her husband’s demise and not really questioning it. I guess the same rules on scandal don’t apply to a widow in her late twenties as they do for a young innocent.

While the main characters in this book are Christian and Letitia we finally get to learn more titbits regarding my favourite character in this series – Dalziel. The epilogue is very tantalising and we get to find out his title.  I cannot wait to read the next book as finally the mystery surrounding who he is will become clear.

Overall, another great book by Stephanie Laurens, the more of hers I read the more I want to read. Fortunately she is a very prolific writer and I have lots more to go.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Book Information

The Viscount Who Loved Me

Mar 292012
 

Anthony Bridgerton needs a wife, a suitable, sweet and biddable wife. Edwina Sheffield is the pick of the current crop of débutantes and so he sets out to make her his bride. Unfortunately to get to Edwina, Anthony has to go through her sister Kate, who is determined Edwina will never have to marry for convenience and certainly not to a rake of the highest order.

When Kate and Anthony get together sparks fly but just as he thinks he may be gaining her approval, he makes the mistake of kissing her.

I really enjoyed this book and like the first one in the series it had some very humorous moments. I enjoyed the take on the overprotective sibling being a sister instead of a brother, giving Anthony a taste of his own medicine. While it is always obvious knowing who will end up with who, it is always fun trying to guess how they will get there. I definitely did not see the situation coming that caused such a stir among society!

It was good to catch up with the Bridgerton family again although we did not see as much of the other brothers and sisters this time round. The focus was very much on Anthony and Kate and their inner demons – and they have a few!

I have not read many books by Julia Quinn but the few I have read are simply whetting my appetite for more. I enjoy the romance, the unorthodox way of getting there and her style of writing which means the story flows easily. I also love the way she manages to mix humour into her stories.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Book Information

When Beauty Tamed the Beast

Mar 282012
 

Linnet Berry Thynne was ruined in the eyes of the ton. Caught kissing a prince who then wants nothing to do with her, not to mention it wasn’t even all that pleasant! Wearing a gown that makes her look pregnant, her humiliation and ruination is complete.

Piers Marchant a doctor and Earl has a fearsome reputation and a temper to match which has earned him the nickname of the beast. Injured as a child he is supposedly unable to perform (if you get my drift)!  With no prospect of an heir in sight his father jumps at the chance of his son having a bride, already with child and a royal one at that.

Being a medical man it does not take him long to realise things are not as they seem and despite Linnet’s beauty, he is determined she will never marry the beast.

This is another great book by Eloisa James and I really enjoyed it. It is supposedly a very loose adaptation of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast, and if the title had not indicated so, I would not necessarily have thought to associate it.

I loved the characters, Dr Piers is hilarious – his bedside manner leaves much to be desired and you get the impression his life would be much simpler if his patients died so he could cut them open and see what was going on.  Sarcasm seems to be his forte and he does not care who he upsets or what he says. Linnet is feisty, just as sarcastic and gives as good as she gets, almost enjoying taunting him. This leads to some funny conversations between the two of them.

The story is almost exclusively set in Wales and it was great to have a setting other than the traditional London for a regency romance. I found the snippets about medicine and treatment fascinating but how accurate they are I am not sure, Piers did seem ahead of his time in some aspects of his treatment. Historical accuracy is not a strong feature of this book but to be honest it was not a problem for this story. Some books need rich historical description, others don’t, the characters easily carried the story no matter how historically inaccurate some of their behaviour was!

Of course it is based on a fairytale and fairytales always have a happy ending so I got the warm fuzzies which I like in my books. It wouldn’t be an interesting or entertaining story however if there were not a number of obstacles and incidents before we reach that point.

If you are looking for a romance with accurate historical descriptions and behaviour this may not be you, if however you like a touch of humour, strong characters and can overlook the historical licence – read it!

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Book Information

 

A Rogue by Any Other Name

Mar 262012
 

Michael, the Marquess of Bourne, has waited a decade to get his revenge, hiding from polite society and becoming a partner in London’s most famous gaming hell. Soon he would reclaim what was rightfully his, even if in order to do so he would have to ‘persuade’ Lady Penelope Marbury to marry him, vowing his wickedness would never touch her.

Lady Penelope has had a rough time in the ton, none of it of her own making. At twenty eight she still holds out for a love match but circumstances push her into marriage to the Marquess of Bourne. He had once been her dearest childhood friend – what had happened to him during the ten years he disappeared?  Where had the boy she once knew gone?

This was a fantastic book and right from page one, which starts ten years before the story proper, I was totally engrossed and by page two I felt like crying! The characters came to life so easily they seemed to jump off the page at me. The interspersing of child and young adult letters throughout the book were both humorous and heartbreaking, I could feel Penelope’s desperation through them as the years progressed. The pain both of them were in was heart-rending at times and they are both so stubborn you start to feel there will never be a happy ending. Never fear though, this is after all an historical romance. The story focuses on the darker side of London’s aristocracy in Regency England and I am starting to find I love that aspect more than the glittering ballrooms.

I am finding it really difficult to find anything to criticise about this book so I won’t!

I was unable to finish the book in one sitting as work most inconsiderately got in the way. I found I was counting the hours until I was able to get back to reading it. I got in from work and by 7.30pm I realised I hadn’t fed the kids (but at least I had finished the book). Fortunately they are old enough to get something if they were that hungry so don’t worry I didn’t starve them!

This is the second Sarah Maclean book I have read and it will definitely not be the last!

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Book Information

Alterant

Mar 122012
 

Evalle Kincaid is having a bad day, actually, make that week! Despite saving mankind from annihilation and proving her loyalty to the Beladors, the Tribunal of ruling Gods and Goddesses still hold her Alterant background against her. Called to face them to answer for words uttered in the heat of battle, the only support she has is Brina, her warrior queen and Evalle is tasked with returning three escaped Alterants or face the consequences. To top it off something or someone is causing Alterants to go berserk and change into their monstrous form, killing any humans they find.

Wow, this book was action packed from the get go and in my opinion far superior to the first one in this series. I would say however, do not under any circumstances read this without reading Blood Trinity, the first novel, otherwise you will be mightily confused. This book takes up immediately where the previous one left off and I would advise you to re-read the last few chapters of Blood Trinity to re-familiarise yourself with what happened. I didn’t do this and it took me a while to remember what actually happened in the story the day before!

The tribunal are so unjust I want to scream at them and tell them to stop being so mean (childish of me I know!) I am sure it will all work out in the end but injustice is rife in this book and I wish just once Evalle could get a break.  She is a strong character however, and of course takes it on the chin, accepts her lot and gets on with it.

While this book is primarily about Evalle, we also get more insight into Tzader and Quinn and I am looking forward to finding out more in future books. It seems story lines are being set up nicely for them to have more of a starring role in later books.

There is a lot more of Storm and his very protective attitude (can you say hot!) towards Evalle as he tries to break down some of the barriers caused by her past experiences. We also find out about a secret he has that will surely make Evalle see him differently if she knew.

There is so much going on in this book there is no time to get bored with it and as the book progresses the tension ramps up even more. I was holding my breath at times as I became totally immersed in the story.

The only criticism I would have is that I did not get any warm fuzzies at the end, and we are left with more questions than answers. It’s clear that the next book will take up immediately where this one finished and while this often annoys me, I am sure the warm fuzzies will come at the end of the series. Since the story is so multi layered (and getting more so!) I am happy to wait until the next book in the hope some happy ever afters will occur - although with the Tribunal involved I wouldn’t bet on it!

Rating: ★★★★½ 

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