I May Have To Marry The Guy, But I'm Not Going To Let Him Have His Way . . . "How To Tame A Willful Wife" by Christy English

How To Tame A Willful Wife: 

1. Forbid her from riding astride

2. Hide her dueling sword

3. Burn all her breeches and buy her silk drawers

4. Frisk her for hidden daggers

5. Don't get distracted while frisking her for hidden daggers...

Anthony Carrington, Earl of Ravensbrook, expects a biddable bride. A man of fiery passion tempered by the rigors of war into steely self-control, he demands obedience from his troops and his future wife. Regardless of how fetching she looks in breeches.

Promised to the Earl of Plump Pockets by her impoverished father, Caroline Montague is no simpering miss. She rides a war stallion named Hercules, fights with a blade, and can best most men with both bow and rifle. She finds Anthony autocratic, domineering, and...ridiculously gorgeous.  It's a charming re-telling of "The Taming of the Shrew" but in reality,who is taming whom?

She had always known she had to marry to save the family reputation from disaster over indebtedness. She had been trained to accept her fate as the daughter of an impoverished aristocrat, a man who had more than proven his worth in the Napoleonic Wars, but who had come home to empty coffers.  Now his closest friend was offering for his daughter and Caroline knew that her father was entrusting her future to a man he truly believed would hold her dear and treat her well.  What Caroline wasn't prepared for was having her heart engaged by the enchanting rogue or having to face his mistress of over 10 years.  Add in the almost insidious presence of the Viscount Carlyle who had ruined the earl's sister, and you have anger, tension, revenge and distress up to ying yang.

This historical romance begins as many others do with the arranged marriage of two people as a  .  Anthony was certainly attracted sexually to his bride and made no bones about that fact.  However, he was unprepared for the inroads to his heart that she made.  The biggest difficulty was her unwillingness to be a compliant and biddable bride, continuing on with her sword and knife training, her archery, and her insistence on riding out alone to visit tenants and visiting the local villages.  While she submits willingly in the bedroom, his autocratic commands on the other aspects of her life chafe and gradually cause a chasm in their marriage that doesn't appear to be able to be mended.  It is a delightful, saucy, sexy, carefully written and beautifully told story of a marriage between two very different people and two individuals who must reconcile their attraction to one another sexually with the demands of human relationship, the need for being partners in more than just bedroom antics, and the respect that must be present to keep balance in their marriage.

I really love historical romance and could read it non-stop.  I don't even mind that most of them follow a well-established format that is often quite predictable.  But when I encounter one that adds in the spice of the antics that drive the Countess Ravensbrook and which manage to slowly but surely enrapture her husband reluctantly, it is a novel that stands out as one most historical romance lovers will appreciate above and beyond the norm.  It was just recently released by Sourcebooks, Inc, and is one that I know begs to be read and enjoyed.  I highly recommend it as worthy of the time and effort of serious readers.  I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read and review it.  Please let me know if you have read it and what you thought.

Is She A Fallen Woman Or Not? "In The Flesh" by Portia Da Costa

SOCIETY ALREADY BELIEVES SHE’S A SCARLET WOMAN. Why not become one?

Posing nude to appease her now ex-fiancé perhaps wasn’t the most prudent idea Beatrice Weatherly has ever had. With the photographs scrutinized up and down the ton and her brother running them into debt, Beatrice’s hopes of making a respectable marriage are dashed.

After one glance at Beatrice’s infamous racy cabinet cards, wealthy, powerful Edward Ellsworth Richie is soon obsessed with Beatrice’s voluptuous figure. His indecent proposal—one month of hedonistic servitude in exchange for enough money to pay her brother’s debts—is one she can hardly refuse.

Determined not to let the rogue best her, Beatrice sets out for the infamous House of Madame Chamfleur to learn how to appease Edward’s well-known appetite. Soon the couple is playing out exquisite fantasies…and feeling emotion that goes deeper than flesh. But Edward harbors a shocking secret, and Beatrice must decide if she’s prepared to give up everything for a man who can offer her nothing, but who means everything.

I don't review historicals as often as I once did nor do I read them as much right now as I did in previous years. I have been reading contemporary and paranormal romances more in the last few months, but one in a while I return to the kind of romance fiction that I began with many years ago when I discovered Barbara Cartland and Phillipa Gregory. This work is far more erotic than those early novels mainly because the acceptance of more overt erotic content is acceptable and tolerated at a far greater level than in past times. But there is no getting around the fact that overt or not, lots of hanky panky went on in Regency England and whether the details are trotted out for readers is beside the point. We all know its there just as it has existed wherever men and women have lived side by side. Yet the moral stricture of Regency England were about as hypocritical as any in history. It was considered immoral for a woman to show her ankles unclothed but it was OK for her bodice to reveal just about everything below her collar bone except her nipples. Go figure . . . And here we have a heroine who posed for her would-be lover/fiance, believing he could be trusted to care for her in a society where her reputation was incredibly fragile, only to find out that he used her and her photographs for his own gain.

This short novel has lots of twists and turns in a relatively small amount of space but tells a compelling story of a woman who makes choices for everyone's good but her own. Ultimately her courage and her determination to be her own person rises to the fore and she takes her future--what little she has left--and seeks her own will and pleasure knowing full well that she has nothing left but her ability to rescue her brother. There is some suspense and a bit of mystery here but that just makes the story better. I had not previously encountered this author but I enjoyed the story and appreciated the author's writing style and obvious writing ability in developing characters and storyline that were balanced and interesting. The heroine was so very real, coming across as a woman who is facing the loss of just about everything and yet has presence of mind when making decisions about herself. And the hero, a man of the world as they were then called, is still a man of sensitivity and class. He is indeed a man of his times and would probably be the same in our contemporary times, but he evidenced a serious connection and affection for our heroine that speaks well of him.

This was a truly enjoyable book and one I was delighted to read. I hope you will look into reading it and enjoy as I did. I give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5.

You Don't Seem Anxious To Marry Me: "Never A Bride" by Amelia Grey

Her name is on everyone’s lips…

When he left for America six years ago, the handsome Viscount Stonehurst never suspected that he would return home to England to find his lovely fiancée embroiled in the scandal of the decade. The woman he planned on making his wife has been kissing every man in London…except him!

But scandal doesn’t matter in search of the truth…

Engaged and then abandoned, Mirabella Wittingham is determined to find the man who drove her cousin to suicide, even if it means ruining her reputation and disgracing herself in the process…When her plans go awry, Mirabella has no choice but to turn to her long-lost fiancé for help. But can she trust the man who deserted her so many years ago, or is he destined to fail her yet again?

This is a fun historical romance from Sourcebooks that is a re-issue of a novel that was originally published in 2001. As is often the case the crisis in the story is caused by an infraction against the ironclad social rules that governed polite society in Regency England, when men could pretty much do whatever they chose, and women were considered tarnished, fallen, soiled, unmarriagable if caught in an innocent kiss, walked about in broad daylight without a chaperone, or allowed anyone of the male persuasion to glimpse their ankles. Sort of lopsided, eh? Well, our heroine is tired of waiting for an absentee fiancee--six years is a long time to wait for the man who agreed to marry her but has been long overdue in claiming his bride.

As in all really good stories, there are a couple of story themes in this novel. One is the question of whether Mirabella and her fiancee will ever marry, whether they will even remain engaged, and what would happen if the engagement would be called off. Second, there is the personal determination Mirabella has to find the man who has compromised her best friend and who walked away from her when she was pregnant and without support or family to stand by her. The issues in this book become critical when these two story lines collide--Lord Stonehurst turns up at a ball without informing Mirabella or her father that he has returned from America and it just so happens that he catches Mirabella in the arms of another unmarried gentleman. What Lord Stonehurst does not know is that she is trying to find a man with a prominent scar on his neck, one of the very few clues that her best friend has given in her journal to the identity to the man her friend calls Prince Charming. By kissing a man and running her finger inside his cravat during the kiss, she could feel the raised ridge of the scar. Unfortunately, Lord Stonehurst doesn't even want to hear that explanation.

This is such a delightful novel that brings in all the usual ingredients of Regency historicals yet all are merged together to make a fun story. It is not an unusual plot, but the characters that Ms Grey has created have the sense of being unique even in a social situation that forms the context of all Regency romance. Of course, Lord Stonehurst finds that his father has handled the family finances poorly so there is the need for money. Thus, he will have to find another fiancee who has money. Even though Mirabella is absolutely enchanting, is probably the first aristocratic woman he has responded to with anything more than respect, her indiscretions and her penchant for kissing gentlemen makes her unacceptable to him to be his future countess. Eventually, Mirabella has no alternative but to confess the reason for her all the kissing, thus involving Lord Stonehurst in the search for the man with the scar on his neck.

I liked Mirabella because she was proper in most aspects but not afraid to make her opinions known and to speak frankly about her issues and feelings. She also had an extraordinary sense of holding her own in difficult circumstances, a complete rejection of the usual weeping miss kind of response to upsetting news, and a woman whose loyalty to her father and to her friends did not evaporate under pressure.

Lord Stonehurst was an unusual man in that he had the "pluck" to step outside London, outside English society even, go to America and work hard--manual labor--to build his own fortune instead of hoping for or depending on his family inheritance. Thus, even though he was prone to take the "normal" stance regarding Mirabella's unwise actions, there was a part of him that was willing to find another resolution to the dilemmas that faced them both. He was a man of kindness and sensitivity who was willing to allow Mirabella to break the news of her indiscretions to her father herself instead of marching in and acting the disappointed bridegroom.

And I liked the fact that this was a romance within a mystery, with a hidden protagonist and a search for a scoundrel who had hurt a woman who was victimized. It is a very readable story and put together so well that it is one of those books which make it easy to lose track of time. I doubt if many current romance readers have read this story before, so now is a great time to pick up this fun entertaining novel and spend some time with a good book. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

It's Not The Winchester Mystery House! "The Mistress' House" by Leigh Michaels

First in a smart, sexy, Regency romance series intertwining three love stories from an awardwinning, bestselling author.

A rakish Earl buys a love nest and winds up falling madly in love with and marrying the lady he installs there. Because of its proximity to the Earl, and his rakish reputation, the next two ladies who move into the house after that can't avoid a scandal, but each one is on her way to true love...

He's a rake, alright. In fact, he is such a libertine that he is often referred to as a rakeshell. He has money, position, time, opportunity, and he has no plans to marry any time soon. Yes, he must do so eventually, but like so many in the English aristocracy, marriage is for the purpose of producing a legitimate heir, while before marriage a man could indulge all his urges freely without social restraint or condemnation (within certain boundaries, of course). It is to the Earl of Hawthorne that his "man of business" comes with the suggestion that a small but very proper house should be acquired close by the Earl's principle residence, so as to allow the Earl to flit back and forth between his home and that of his mistress with far greater ease and freedom from being witnessed by the London gossips. Capitol idea!! (as the British would say.)

Thus No. 5, Upper Seymour Street becomes the Earl's property and the future home of his mistresses. This story is, in my opinion, beautifully crafted to almost make The House the center of the novel because it is one of the most important factors binding all three of these women in this book. The novel is not really a single story. Rather it is the continuing story of the house, the three women who come to live there for varying reasons, and how their personal stories unfold. All are connected with the Earl in some fashion. And in stories 2 and 3, it is somewhat comical that the Earl is relatively unaware of what is going on right under his nose.

This story really highlights the inequity in Regency society between women and men, the loose interpretation of the social rules that is allowed for men, and the lengths to which some women must go in order to claim their right for a certain level of independence. Going behind the scenes, manipulating and conniving, all are the actions of a social group who is not given freedom to interpret the social rules--the psychologists call that illegitimate behavior. And Regency England was rife with it. In fact, it was considered humorous, those who practiced it best were congratulated, and it was expected by those (the men) who ruled society. They may refer to the old dowagers as "queens of the ballroom," but we know who was really in charge in that male-dominated society. Thus these three women were reduced to scheming and plotting in order to have some semblance of living according to their own dictates. Perhaps that is why, even though there is a part of me that deplores their need to do so, I was delighted to see the ways these three women went about setting up their "challenges" to society in order to gain a life they wanted, especially relationships that were based on love and not money or social ambition.

All social comment aside, this is a fun novel, one that will be a joy for lovers of historical romance, and written by an award-winning author who has an impressive writing and publishing history and who really knows how to tell a good story. I especially appreciate the good use of language, good editing, good grammar and sentence construction. I recently read a book that was a very good story, but what a pain to have such poor editing and publishing handling of that manuscript. Not so here, and Sourcebooks has done a wonderful job in producing a fine piece of romance fiction. I give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5.

The Practice of Deception: The Countess by Lynsay Sands

"If you continue to look at me like that I may be tempted to kiss you," he said in a husky voice. Christina's eyes widened and for a moment she almost wished he would, but then she recalled that this was her husband and abruptly turned her head away with a little "Oh dear."

"What is it?" Dicky asked with a small frown.

"I believe that drink you gave me may have affected my good sense," she muttered, thinking it the only excuse for how she could find this man attractive after having suffered under being his wife for a year. Besides, she was beginning to feel a little off balance, her thoughts a little slow and confused. Of course, she was suddenly finding it overly hot and a touch airless in the room but suspected it was from being in Dicky's arms. At the moment, they were as close as lovers, his body brushing against hers with each dance step, his one hand at her back, his arm encircling her, his other hand clasping her suddenly sweaty one . . . and his smell just kept wafting up her nose, sliding through her body, making her want to lean into him. The drink was definitely affecting her, she decided grimly.

O what tangled webs we weave

When first we practice to deceive . . .

Lies, lies, lies . . . deception is at the core of this new Lyndsay Sands novel that tells the story of a kind and caring young woman who agreed to marry Richard Fairgrave, the Earl of Radnor in order to save her family estates and the wounded reputation of her father, a man who had never lived the life of a London rogue. Believing Dicky to truly love her, Christiana entered into her marriage in good faith, only to have her husband undergo an almost immediate transformation into an uncaring, cruel, judgmental, critical and abusive husband, as soon as the wedding vows were said. As the story progresses there is little doubt that Lady Radnor was deceived. Now he is dead and Christiana and her two sisters are trying to find a way to once again dig their father out of a massive gambling debt. Imagine their shock when the sisters are presented with the very real, flesh and blood Earl of Radnor at a ball--a ball they attended in order to find a husband for Christiana's sister and being held the same evening after the sisters found Dicky dead in his study.

This is a romance novel that a most appealing comic flavor to it in spite of the fact that the basic plot of the story is quite serious. What does one do when one finds one's husband dead only a short time after enduring a painful breakfast encounter? How does one react when one's husband--his dead body was lying in his bed--walks up to the supposed widow and requests a dance? Is she married or not? What does one do to sort out all this? Was the marriage to Dicky consummated? The various discussions about any and all of these situations is often hilarious as the Christiana and her sisters along with the earl and his friends try to find a way out of this mess.

As always, Lynsay Sands tells an engaging tale that is historically authentic, populated by characters that are certainly people of their times and whose humanity shines through all the social layers of do and don't that controlled the lives of English aristocrats. One cannot help but be drawn into the deep distress of the countess who has spent the first year of her marriage being systematically worn down psychologically by a man whose evil knows no bounds. At the same time there is the clear contrast between the man claiming to be the earl and the genuine article--the true earl whose life was almost snuffed out by his younger brother and who has only now returned from America to once again take up his life. Yet there is someone who knows about Dicky's death and Richard's return, who is now threatening the safety and reputation of the countess and who is demanding blackmail payment. It is a story that brings to the fore the issue of spousal abuse that produces no external bruises but which slowly destroys the joy of living and the sense of personhood. It also brings to light that spousal abuse was not then any more of a welcome topic for society's consideration than it has been in contemporary times. Yet there is a sense of justice in this story and there is a sense that through the efforts of good and caring people the hurts of evil individuals can be overcome.

This is the first in a new series and is very readable, a fascinating story, strong characters, good plot, very good story development, and a writing style that keeps the reader's interest from the first page. Ms Sands has a fine literary portfolio to her credit and has written some fine historical novels in the past. This novel bears her unmistakable stamp and most assuredly will please readers who have welcomed her past work. For fans of historical romance fiction, this novel will please, and it is a worthy example of Ms Sands' writing talent and skills. I give this novel 4.25 out of 5.

This novel will be released by Harper Collins in February, 2011.

Review: A Rogue's Pleasure by Hope Tarr

This is a novel that was first published in 2000 and has now been re-released by Carina Press. It is a delightful historical that deserves a new audience and which is a wonderful addition to the historical romance genre.

Chelsea's brother has been kidnapped on his way to the European continent, preparing to enter the Napoleonic War. He has lived "high on the hog" in his first years as a young adult and he has managed to begger the family, emptying the family coffers at an alarming rate. Chelsea has used the last of the family's resources to purchase his commission, and is now devastated to learn that she has nothing to meet the ransom demand. What she also does not know is that the entire fiasco has been arranged in order to put her in desperate straits--so desperate that she will sell herself, body and soul, to the perpetrator.

Along comes Lord Anthony, a man destined to marry and who is traveling with his fiance and her mother. He is bored to tears, knowing he has no alternative for the sake of his title to produce an heir, and accepting the fact that an arranged, loveless marriage is the norm. His bride is certainly not hard on the eyes, but she has no desire to be a true wife to him, other than meeting her wifely obligation to produce a child. His advances are met with shock and a determination to avoid physical interaction unless absolutely necessary--after the wedding. It is during this boring journey that the passengers hear the report of a pistol--"stand and deliver"-- and are robbed of their belonging, jewels, etc. The two highwaymen are obviously not of the same generation, and Lord Anthony suspects that one of them is a woman. He is quite right--he has discerned Chelsea's descent into crime in order to obtain the funds she needs for her brother's ransom.

This is a complicated story that includes the rather jumbled relationship of Lord Anthony with his fiance while he battles his attraction to Chelsea. He must keep his suspicions about her criminal activity quiet--he wants her in the worst way--while putting up with her resistance to his advances. He knows the date for his wedding approaches but he is busy working very hard to find her brother so that she can escape having to pay the ransom. There are lots of twists and turns here, and the impasse between the fiance he doesn't want and the woman he does want is resolved in a very surprising way. I was certainly not prepared for that particular solution.

I found this novel to be a very enjoyable read, one that was an engaging journey into the world of Regency England, and which satisfied my love of historical romance. The characters were fun and very real, complicated, flawed, full of normal emotions and the feelings we all must bear. It is a novel that celebrates family loyalty, the strength of true friendship, and the worth of one's own values. It is about good and evil and the struggle to act within one's own moral code. Lovers of historical romance will find this a very good read and one that educates the mind as it entertains. Ms Tarr demonstrates excellent writing skill as she builds this story on good historical research. I felt it was well worth the time investment. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.