Love Letters ... Anthology

Love Letters (anthology)

A free installment

Lori Brighton

Historical Romance

Published in 2011

Read in Nov, 2011.

My rating:

                                              
                                                  [spoiler alert]

This rating is based on the two novellas by Lori Brighton, The Art of Seduction (3.25 stars) and Meant for Me (3.75 stars).

“The Art of Seduction”

H/h - Brendon Evans, the Earl of ____/Clara Cameron
Setting: London, Regency era (unsure) 

To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries

To Wed a Wild Lord

Hellions of Hallstead Hall #4

Sabrina Jeffries

Historical Romance

Published in 2011

H/h - Lord Gabriel Sharpe/Virginia Waverly

Setting: London, 1825.

Read in Nov, 2011.

My rating:

                                                       [spoiler alert]

I don’t know what to say. I’m just feeling sad because I love Sabrina Jeffries’s books; my favorite series being The Heiresses, Royal Brotherhood and Swanlea Spinsters. But Hellions of Hallstead Hall has been a hit or miss series so far. I haven’t done any full review of any of SJ’s books so I’ll give a brief of The Hellions series at first. I won’t really go into the story since it didn’t really make an impact on me.

The Princess and the Penis by R. J. Silver

The Princess and the Penis (novella)

R. J. Silver

Fantasy/Fairytale
Published in 2010

H/h - Prince Longwood (don't even ask me about his kingdom!)/Princess Amalia
Setting: In the fairytale lands of Westwich.
 

Read in Nov, 2011.

My rating:

OMG, WTF was that? Honestly, I haven’t read anything like this before. How come I missed it when it came out and apparently everyone out there read it as a freebie? It’s so FREAKIN HILARIOUS, I couldn’t hold back my guffaws and my stomach still hurts. An adult take on two fairytales: “The Frog Prince” and “The Princess and the Pea”. I thought it was simply brilliant! Though it’s not anything you can read to your child, it’s not that racy at all. I highly recommend it anyone who’s in need of a good laugh and has an hour or so to spare.

The French Maid by Sabrina Jeffries

The French Maid (novella)

A free installment

Sabrina Jeffries

Historical Romance

Published in 2010

H/h - Henry Ruskin, Lord Langston/Eleanor Ruskin, Lady Langston

Setting: London, Regency era (unsure).

Read in Nov, 2011.

My rating:

                                                          [spoiler alert]

This short story by Sabrina Jeffries came out as a free installment with her 1st Hellions of Hallstead Hall book, The Truth About Lord Stoneville. This year, with a re-release, I thought why not read it? I’m glad that I did! This story of about 30 pages or so, is about a married couple, misunderstandings and a little clumsiness (well, Babette would say ‘lazy’ lol) from both sides about each others’ feelings.

Royal Weddings ... Anthology

Royal Weddings (anthology)

Stephanie Laurens

Gaelen Foley

Loretta Chase

Historical Romance

Published in 2011

Read in Nov, 2011.

My rating:

                                                        [spoiler alert]

Note: This review and rating is completely based on Gaelen Foley’s novella, Ever After (3.5 stars) and Loretta Chases’s The Jilting of Lord Rothwick (3.5 stars).

“Ever After”, Gaelen Foley

H/h - James Montford, the Earl of Archer/Eleanor Montford, the Countess of Archer

Setting: London, 1816.

Always to Remember by Lorraine Heath

Always to Remember

Lorraine Heath

Historical Romance/Western

Published in 1996

H/h - Clayton Holland/Meg Warner

Setting: Texas, 1866.

Read in Nov, 2011.

My rating:

                                                            [spoiler alert]

He stepped back and plowed his hands through his hair. "You think I'm a coward. You don't think I have the courage to stand beside you and risk the anger of your father. I'd die before I turned away from anyone or anything I believed in. You won't even walk by my side."
He looked the way she imagined soldiers who had lost a battle probably looked: weary, tired of the fight, disillusioned.
"You don't believe in me," he said quietly. "How can you believe in our love?"

These lines were taken from the best scene of the book IMO, where Clay questions Meg’s love for him. And I don’t blame him a bit. I had troubles myself believing that she’d go from a vindictive widow to someone madly in love with him in the space of a few months. I mean, when I read the way the whole town hated (it’s a mild word for what they did to him, comparing to how they treated him- both physically and emotionally) Clay for being a deserter of the Civil war, just because Clay didn’t want to kill people, didn’t believe in war; unbelievable! I don’t think I can capture that hatred in my review the way Lorraine Heath did in her brilliant storytelling, instead I’ll just try to tell you what’s in this book and why I couldn’t give it a full 5 star.

Sweet Lullaby by Lorraine Heath

Sweet Lullaby

Lorraine Heath

Historical Romance/Western

Published in 1994

H/h - Jake Burnett/Rebecca Anderson

Setting: Texas, 1883.

Read in Nov, 2011.

My rating:

                                                                 [spoiler alert]

He was lying in bed with the woman he loved... a woman he couldn't make love to. He closed his eyes. More than anything in this world, he wanted this woman to be happy. He'd give her anything, do anything to make her happy. Even if it made his own life hell.

These are just the lines to show Jake’s incomparable devotion for Rebecca. I can only say Lorraine Heath has a very special way of portraying her heroes. Before her westerns, I read so few of those, I could count them. But, after Texas Trilogy, I haven’t looked back. Her narrative is so beautiful and uncomplicated yet so pure in it’s style that I never felt the need to drag on. From one review, I found out Sweet Lullaby was her 1st book. Was it? Seriously? I couldn’t tell. I’ve been tossed and turned, cried like a baby for Jake, been crazy mad at Rebecca and yet, when I finished, I felt this urge for the story to continue. It was that good. I can see why some would find it too depressing or be annoyed by Rebecca’s actions but either way, Sweet Lullaby won me over.