Review: A Lady of Letters by Andrea Pickens

I really miss the old line of Signet Regency's and this book is a perfect example of how good they could be.

Here is the plot in just a few sentences. Lady Augusta Hadley, firmly on the shelf, has been writing pamphlets and editorials under the name Firebrand and has just recently begun a correspondence with a gentleman of like mind who also cares about social justice. She does not realize that her new penpal and the annoying Earl of Sheffield are one and the same. Although she typically hides her brash personality, Augusta keeps running into the Earl and can't seem to keep her opinions to herself. When she needs help she finds he is the only one she can turn to.

This was published in 2000 and while the bluestocking/rake plot line has been done to death, this one is one of the best I've read. Just goes to show that any plot can be a winner in the right hands. The book really focused on the romance and the emotions of the characters. After the last historical that I read, Untouched which was overly sexy, this was refreshing. There was a lot of dialogue between the hero and heroine, they spent a lot of time together and I believed they truly loved each other. I should mention that there was a mystery subplot, but it was used to reveal the characters developing trust in each other.

A Lady of Letters was a very enjoyable read, and highly recommended.

My Grade: A

Review: Seduce Me at Sunrise

Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas
(Hathaways #2)

I read this riveting story right after reading the first book in the series, Mine Till Midnight, and I'm glad I did.

First, the back story. Winnifred Hathaway has been in poor health since she suffered a bout of scarlet fever that almost killed her. She was nursed back to health by her sister Amelia and family friend Merripen. Merripen is a gypsy who was abandoned as a child and adopted by the Hathaways. He has stayed with them, watched over them, and they are now his family.

When our story opens Winnifred is returning to England after a two year absence. She had been living at a clinic in France and through the talents of Dr. Harrow has completely regained her health. Dr. Harrow has returned to London with Win to conduct business as well as to court her. Winnifred is anxious to see her family and especially Kev Merripen whom she has loved for many years. Win doesn't realize that Merripen returns her affection but, because of his gypsy blood, believes himself unworthy of her.

Kev Merripen, like all of Kleypas' heroes, is terrific. He is an intense man with strong feelings for Winnifred. In lesser hands the "I'm not worthy" plot can get old. However in Kleypas' hands, Merripen's anguish, his yearning and repressed feelings are very real. The man is tortured, loving Win but unwilling to marry her and subject her to society's prejudice.

The book was a really good romance that was made even better by the other characters. Amelia and Cam from book #1, the two other sisters and Leo Hathaway are all important to the plot of this story which raises this series to a family saga romance like Mary Balogh's Bedwyn series.

I'll have to wait until fall to read the next in the series, Tempt Me at Twilight, Poppy's story. Can't wait.

Grade: A

New Favorite Author

If You Dare by Kresley Cole
(MacCarrick Brothers Book #1)

I've had the best book related experience there is -- I've discvoered a new author, and her name is Kresley Cole! Not a new author you say? Well, no you are correct. Ms. Cole has been publishing since 2003, according to http://www.fictiondb.com/. However she is new to me, having published during the years I was in the babycave. Ms. Cole has won this new fan on the strength of one book, If You Dare.

This historical romance has a very unusual setting -- the tiny country of Andorra in the Pyrenees in the 1850s. Courtland MacCarick has been working as a mercenary in this politically unstable country but has angered the dictator. Court escapes execution by jumping into a river, barley survives, and washes ashore to be found by the aristocratic Annalia. Against her better judgment, Annalia takes him home to heal. Meanwhile the dictataor is holding Annalia's brother prisoner in an effort to blackmail Annalia into marriage to cement his political power. After Courtland is well, Annalia attempts to hire him to rescue her brother. He puts her off at first but then ends up helping her and taking her to London.

Annalia is a great heroine, she is related to the royal family and acts the aristocrat. She does not nurse Courtland, doesn't really get to know him while he is in her home and does not trust him. Even as he is helping her she doesn't trust him or believe that he is acting in her best interests. They are strangers. I found this refreshingly realistic. In many novels the hero and heroine fall in love/lust way too quickly and easily. The best part of the story for me was gradually watching Annalia come to trust Court and Court accept his feelings for Annalia.

With action and intense emotion, the historical romance If You Dare was a great read and introduced me to a fabulous new author.

Grade: A