Diamond in the Rogue by Wendy LaCapra

Diamond in the Rogue
Lords of Chance #3

Wendy LaCapra
Historical Romance
Published in 2019[ARC review]

H/h - Graham Laithe, the Earl of Rayne/Lady Julia Stanley
Setting: Regency.

Read in November, 2019.

My rating:

                                                        [spoiler alert]

Diamond In the Rogue by Wendy LaCapra is the third installment of her Lords of Chance series and it was amazing! Yes I’ll go ahead and say it the first thing. I’ve been going through some rough patches in my personal life for the past few months and needed a distraction badly. This book gave me that and more. I’ve been a fan of this series since it began and the installments never ceased to amaze me in the least. I always applaud Wendy’s writing style and her lovely narratives that hook you right into the story. But this book was just chock full of surprises I didn’t see coming. In retrospect, I should’ve expected at least some of them.

Lords of Chance is a Regency set series with 3 peers of the realm, who are also old friends, as the center of the storyline. They go by sobriquet taken from the game of card—Spades, Clubs and Diamonds. Lord Markham came as the extra addition to the group; as Hearts to complete the circle. He’s also the youngest and often jokingly called as the ‘pup’. But unknowing to him, in the beginning of the series he was being groomed by our Spades for an ultimate purpose. No, nothing nefarious but that didn’t mean it was any less important to Spades’ own existence.

In his story, in book 1 Scandal in Spades, we found Giles Langley the Marquess of Bromton, in a dilemma. A big one TBH. He had a very serious family issue that he needed to take care of. It involved the survival of the Bromley bloodline and Giles was ‘trained’ to become someone who’d do anything in his power to keep that bloodline flowing to the next generation. But there was a dark twist in his story which led him to find a proper (or improper, didn’t matter) solution to his aforementioned dilemma. And that’s how Markham came into the picture. Help came in the form of Markham’s elder sister Katherine, the scandalous spinster who made the Regency ‘headlines’ a few times in her life; not because she wanted to make any headline, but because she seemed to had bad lucks where Beaus and fiancés were concerned. But her meeting to Giles was the thing of magic; full of spark and chemistry that both felt and were unable to deny. Both were scared to fall but fall they did despite everything. I love LOVED that book.

Her Viking Warrior by Gina Conkle

Her Viking Warrior
Forgotten Sons #2

Gina Conkle
Historical Romance
Published in 2019 [ARC review]

H/h - Bjorn/Ilsa
Setting: AD 930.

Read in August/September, 2019.

My rating:

                                                      [spoiler alert]

I’ve loved Gina Conkle’s books ever since I read her first book back in 2014. She writes well-researched Viking romance that has everything from hot romance, actions and a healthy dose of what you’d call the ancient Viking lifestyle. Book 2 of her newest Viking series Forgotten Sons wasn’t any different. Her Viking Warrior had everything that you can expect in a romance novel.

The series titled Forgotten Sons is based on a band of Viking brothers where they’re mainly connected by circumstances, rather than bloodline. Book 1, Kept by the Viking largely focused on the H and h’s relationship and everything surrounding it, rather than building up a backstory for the heroes of the Forgotten Sons, as they call themselves. Then again, with 6 of them in total, I’m sure the author will reveal their stories one by one in their own books. This, I’d say, works as an element of surprise since right now you don’t know much about the Sons except for the 2 who had already had their stories told. These 6 Viking warriors had known each-other since childhood. They share a very strong bond and would do anything for one another. They’re called Forgotten Sons because of some circumstances or the other has made them leave their own home in search of glory, financial stability and, if possible, a home of their own where they can settle.

In Kept by The Viking, we’re introduced to the leader of the Sons, Rurik and a Frankish slave girl called Safira. They weren’t meant to be together though Safira needed Rurik’s help in getting away from a sh!tty household. In the end it was discovered that Safira was abducted from her wealthy merchant father’s household and sold into slavery. She wanted to get away and return to her family. Little did she know while she was planning that, that a handsome Viking would escort her. She wasn’t expecting much, but got more than what she bargained for. The story had actions and suspense, as Rurik was fighting for a land to settle down, but in a twist of fate he would have to fight someone with whom he shares his bloodline, even though no love was lost between the two. Someone who he’d hated all his life and tried his best to avoid. One of the reasons why he left his home and became a mercenary. Thankfully, with Safira by her side, Rurik would find the strength to claim what he can then rightfully call his own.

Heart's Desire by Wendy LaCapra

Heart's Desire
Lords of Chance #2

Wendy LaCapra
Historical Romance
Published in 2019 [ARC review]

H/h - Percy Stanley, the Earl of Markham/Lady Clarissa Laithe
Setting: Regency.

Read in May, 2019

My rating:

                                                        [spoiler alert]

Must say, I’m quite surprised by this new installment of Lords of Chance series by Wendy LaCapra. No, it wasn’t Wendy's beautiful storytelling that always hooks me right into the story. I already knew of it. It’s because on one hand, Markham wasn’t the hero I was expecting to see getting his book so early. On the other, I didn’t think he had quite the depth of character he’d shown throughout Heart’s Desire.

Lords of Chance is a Regency set series with 3 peers of the realm, who are also old friends, as the center of the storyline. They go by sobriquet taken from the game of card—Spades, Clubs and Diamonds. The latest, a new addition to that small group came in the form of Lord Markham; Hearts to complete the circle. He’s also the youngest in the group at 24 and often jokingly called as the ‘pup’. But unknowing to him, he was being groomed by our Spades for an ultimate purpose. No, nothing nefarious but that didn’t mean it was any less important to Spades’ own existence.

In his story, in book 1 Scandal in Spades, we found Giles Langley the Marquess of Bromton, in a dilemma. A big one TBH. He had a very serious family issue that he needed to take care of. It involved the survival of the Bromley bloodline and Giles was ‘trained’ to become someone who’d do anything in his power to keep that bloodline flowing to the next generation. But there was a dark twist in his story which led him to find a proper (or improper, didn’t matter) solution to his aforementioned dilemma. And that’s how Markham came into the picture. There was a card game, naturally. An already set-up game ‘won’ by him which led Giles in search of a bride. Help came in the form of Markham’s elder sister Katherine, the scandalous spinster who made the Regency ‘headlines’ a few times in her life; not because she wanted to make any headline, but because she seemed to had a singularly bad luck where Beaus and fiancés were concerned. But her meeting to Giles was the thing of magic. Full of spark and chemistry that both felt and were unable to deny. Both were scared to fall but fall they did despite everything. I love LOVED that book and highly recommend that you read it first.

Scandal In Spades by Wendy LaCapra

Scandal In Spades
Lords of Chance #1

Wendy LaCapra
Historical Romance
Published in April 9, 2018 (ARC review) 

H/h - Giles Everhart Langley, The Marquess of Bromton/Lady Katherine Stanley
Setting: Regency.

Read in April, 2018

My rating:

                                            
                                                           [spoiler alert]

It’s been a while since I pretty much gulped down in about 2 days. Let me tell you that it’s a rare occurrence for me nowadays. But Wendy LaCapra’s newest historical romance, book 1 of Lords of Chance series, Scandal in Spades, managed to do just that. I was hooked from the first page till the last. I enjoyed almost every bit of it—the storyline, the characters, the humorous moments and the banters between the H and the h. Lord help me, but I wanted more when it ended. MORE!

Lords of Chance is Wendy’s 3rd series after the Furies (now complete) and Mythic Dukes (ongoing). I’ve been a fan of hers ever since I read the Furies series. To me, she was a rising star in the arena of Historical Romance. Her absence of a year and a half due to personal reason was greatly felt and I personally kept checking for a new release announcement. So I was ecstatic last year to learn that she’s back to writing—with not one but two series!

Lords of Chance is a Regency set series with 3 peers of the realm, 3 Lords who are old friends, as the center of the storyline. They go by sobriquet taken from the cards—Spades, Clubs and Diamonds. The latest, a new addition to that small group came in the form of Lord Markham; Hearts to complete the circle. He’s also the youngest in the group, often jokingly called as the ‘pup’. But unknowing to him, he was being groomed by our Spades for an ultimate purpose. No, nothing nefarious but that didn’t mean it was any less important to Spades’s own existence. In fact, his life has been upside down for a while now and only Markham could solve his problem. At least, that’s what he thought.

The Trouble with Seduction by Victoria Hanlen

The Trouble with Seduction

Victoria Hanlen
Historical Romance
Pub date: April 25, 2016 (ARC review)

H/h - Damen Ravenhill/Lady Sarah Strathford
Setting: England, 1855.

Read in April-May, 2016.

My rating:

                                                  [spoiler alert]

We were gifted, yet again, by Victoria Hanlen with another marvelous read, The Trouble With Seduction, which is another fun addition to her already growing backlist. I became a fan of her writing the moment I started The Trouble With Misbehaving, an amazing story with plenty of actions and adventures, 2 beautifully connected people who come together through it all.

Now TTWS is loosely connected to TTWM. The Trouble With Misbehaving actually takes place a couple of years after The Trouble With Seduction. TTWM is the story of an American-born, now-exiled, heiress, Callista Collins and her journey to reach a Civil-war torn America to rescue her mother who was largely the reason why she was in exile to begin with. Beau has been a blockade runner and a few other shady things in his life even though he was born to nobility. But being the third son of an Earl, one then known as the “blacksheep” of the family, leaves you very little choices in life. At least for the era we’re talking about. He’d just been back to England after long years on the sea, experiencing many adventures, and some tragedies, when he meets Callista and is swept off his feet by her. Yes, by HER. Quite literally.

The Study of Seduction by Sabrina Jeffries

The Study of Seduction
Sinful Suitors #2

Sabrina Jeffries
Historical Romance
Pub date: March 22, 2016 (ARC review)

H/h - Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough/Lady Clarissa Lindsey
Setting: London, 1830.

Read in March, 2016

My rating:

                                                     [spoiler alert]

The latest in Sabrina Jeffries’ The Sinful Suitors series, The Study in Seduction, was much better than the first installment. It was classic Sabrina Jeffries, fun and flirty; an easy read without any unnecessary drama even if the storyline was a bit on the predictable side.

I wasn’t surprised to find that The Sinful Suitors is connected to The Duke’s Men. Most of SJ’s series are interlinked thru characters; secondary characters of one series having their own books in a new one. I’d recommend you read both Hellions of the Hallstead Hall and The Duke’s Men series, though The Sinful Suitors doesn’t connect with the former directly at all. There maybe the mention of a character of her older series here and there, but you’d recognize them only if you’ve read the series. It won’t be hindering your enjoyment.

Book 1 was titled The Art of Sinning, the story of a small character in The Duke’s Men series, an American artist named Jeremy Keane. He was the cousin of one of the central characters there. I never thought him important enough to have his own book so was quite surprised to find that SJ is writing his book. The heroine, Yvette, was completely new. Keane was running from a sad secret of his past eschewing his own responsibilities back in America, and his artistic whimsies gave him the perfect escape route to do so. Explore the world to be precise. He travels extensively for the sake of his vocation, yet their vast family run empire is now managed by his elder sister Amanda. When Keane arrived in England, he was set to have a title from one of his English relative as the next living male heir. However, due to some twists and turns and Keane’s own disinclination to take on added responsibilities makes him decline this in the end.