Review: Don't Tempt Me

Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase

This was a very enjoyable book from one of the best writers of romance writing today.

Kidnapped and sold into slavery as a 12-year-old, when she was visiting the Middle East with her family, Zoe Lexham was been missing for 12 long years. After a daring escape from a harem, Zoe is returned to England hoping to live the life she was meant to live, that of a privileged English lady. However her notoriety makes it nearly impossible that she will be accepted in society. She needs help, and finds it in the person of family friend, Lucien de Grey, the Duke of Marchmount.

The loss of Zoe on top of the losses of his parents and his brother, lead Lucien to avoid feeling anything. He has turned into a care-for-nothing cynic. But Zoe's return and his determination to make the "Harem Girl" respectable force Lucien to experience emotion again.

This is a very well crafted story with a well matched hero and heroine. As Zoe and Lucien were friends as children, their romance was very believable. Lucien especially is very sympathetic. Lucien slowly begins to feel emotion again when Zoe makes him laugh then makes him mad, then makes him love. My heart ached for him at the end when he finally heals from years' worth of bottled up grief.

My only reservation is that, for some reason, I didn't fully connect to the story. I'm not sure why and I suspect it was not the fault of the book.

My grade: B+

Review: What Happens in London

What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

This weekend's romance reading was the new, delightful novel from the delightful (she must be) Julia Quinn.

Olivia Bevelstoke is pretty, intelligent (although no one seems to expect this of her) but bored. When she hears a rumor that her new next door neighbor, Harry Valentine, killed his fiancee she decides to watch him. Fortunately, his office is right across the yard from her bedroom window and she can easily observe his activities. Which she does. For five days. On the fifth day he sees her and this puts an end to her spying. Olivia does not realize that Harry has been aware of her spying on him all along. He has been translating documents from Russian to English for the last week and has now been asked by the War Office to spy on a Russian prince and the woman he is courting, none other than Olivia Bevelstoke.

This story does not begin with Olivia, however. As she did most memorably in The Duke and I, the author begins the story by introducing Harry in a rather long prologue. We learn about his family and how he came to serve in the army and along the way the author engages our sympathies for the hero. Harry is serious and intelligent, in a quiet way, but possesses a sense of humor. When Olivia and Harry meet they are prejudiced against each other but this quickly gives way as they get to know each other.

This is where Julia Quinn shines, in the getting-to-know-one-another aspects of her books, and in her dialogue. Harry and Olivia talk to each other, they tease each other, they become friends. Their conversation is witty, humorous, and just delightful.

I read this with a smile on my face.

My grade: A-

Review: Under the Wishing Star

Under the Wishing Star by Diane Farr

Diane Farr is a great author who has not been given her due. She writes nice emotional stories with fully developed characters. This book is related to my favorite book by her, Under the Lucky Star.

In this romance, Natalie Whittaker is in a bad situation. After running her family's estate for years her younger half-brother and this annoying wife have come home to play lord and lady of the manor. Natalie is so desperate to leave that she agrees to take a position as a governess for a handsome stranger that she has just met. But when widower Malcolm Chase turns out to be her new neighbor, Natalie realizes that she can't compromise her status in the neighborhood by living in a bachelor household. The only solution? Marriage. But is Natalie willing to accept a marriage of convenience?

This is a sweet, subtle romance. It had a very traditional feel that just hit the spot. After reading a few hotter stories, with the focus on sex it was nice to read a slow building romance, focused on the emotions of the hero and heroine. I don't believe Diane Farr is still writing, which is a real shame. She is one of the best.

My grade: A-

June Reads

Wow! June was even better than May with 16 books read. That puts me at 75 for the year so far, well on my way to my goal of 100 for the year. Here's the list with my grades:

1. Among the Imposters by Margaret Peterson Haddix B

2. A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn B+

3. Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Marie Rice C+

4. Sisters by Danielle Steel D

5. Hidden Agendas by Lora Leigh DNF

6. If You Desire by Kresly Cole B+

7. The Dangerous Duke by Christine Wells B-/C+

8. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick B+

9. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James A+++

10. Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix B+

11. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell Hamilton A-

12. Warlord Wants Forever (novella) Kresley Cole A-

13. Under the Wishing Star by Diane Farr A-

14. You Don't Know Jack by Erin McCarthy C+

15. Fragment by William Fahy B

16. Laughing Corpse by Laurell Hamilton B+

The best book that I read this month and even this year is Practice Makes Perfect. This was fantabulous. Julie James lifted me out of my living room and 7 hours later deposited me back to my couch, breathless and with a smile on my face.

Also, I started the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books. These are totally addictive.