2020 Beat the Backlist challenge
Review: The Beast of Beswick (Everleigh Sisters #1) by Amalie Howard
10:00
Series: Everleigh Sisters #1
Author: Amalie Howard
Published November 26th 2019 by Entangled: Amara
Goodreads Synopsis
Beauty and the Beast meets Taming of the Shrew in this laugh-out-loud and heartfelt Regency romance.
Lord Nathaniel Harte, the disagreeable Duke of Beswick, spends his days smashing porcelain, antagonizing his servants, and snarling at anyone who gets too close. With a ruined face like his, it's hard to like much about the world. Especially smart-mouthed harpies—with lips better suited to kissing than speaking—who brave his castle with indecent proposals.
But Lady Astrid Everleigh will stop at nothing to see her younger sister safe from a notorious scoundrel, even if it means offering herself up on a silver platter to the forbidding Beast of Beswick himself. And by offer, she means what no highborn lady of sound and sensible mind would ever dream of—a tender of marriage with her as his bride.
Goodreads
Review
The Beast of Beswick follows Lady Astrid Everleigh as she needs to finds a way to protect herself, and her sister, Isobel, from the vindictive Earl who is out to make all the Everleigh's suffer after Astrid refused him 10 years ago. Now considered a spinster at 25, she knows that she will come into her inheritance as soon as she turns 26, but her debt ridden aunt and uncle will stop at nothing to get their hands on Isobel's dowry. Astrid knows she needs to do something extreme, and heads to Beswick, to ask Lord Nathaniel Harte, the disagreeable and disfigured Duke of Beswick, to marry her, and protect the sisters. Thane has been known as the Beast of Beswick since he returned home for Spain, injured, and angry. He doesn't want to marry, and is more than happy to spend his days in his home, acting like the beast everyone thinks he is, and not let anyone get close. They come to an agreement that Astrid and Isobel will move in, Astrid cataloguing the priceless artwork in the Abbey, while Thane ensures their safety. However, that's not enough, and soon Astrid and Thane need to marry, and quickly, to protect Isobel, and both of them are soon falling in love despite all their best intentions.
This book definitely had Beauty and the Beast feels, and also made me think of Tessa Dare's The Duchess Deal. Astrid was a strong and smart main character, who during her first Season, spurned the advances of the heir to an Earldom, and was labelled as a harlot and shunned. Since then, her parents died, and her uncle has spent all of their money, except for the ironclad protected dowries that fall to the sisters when they turn 26, or marry. The newly inherited earl wants to ruin Astrid further, and promised her uncle the dowry if he allows Isobel to marry. However, if Astrid marries first, her husband will be Isobel's protector, and Thane utterly despised the earl for abandoning his position in Thane's battalion. Thane was left with scarring, both physically and mentally, and wants to be left alone with his guilt. As soon as Astrid arrives, she worms her way into his heart, and into the affections of his disgruntled staff. With Astrid, he begins to feel himself returning to life before the war, and feeling like himself again. Their chemistry was unreal, and I shipped them from the very start. The secondary characters, especially Isobel and Roth, were fabulous too, and I can't wait to read The Rakehell of Roth. Amalie has definitely become a must read author of mine!
Dates Read:
July 4-5, 2020
Rating
4 Stars
2020 Beat the Backlist challenge
Review: Trial by Fire (Raised by Wolves #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
10:00
Series: Raised by Wolves #2
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published June 13th 2011 by Quercus Publishing Plc
Goodreads Synopsis
Bryn is now leader of the Cedar Ridge pack of werewolves and she's convinced that her pack is different - it's democratic and fair. Then Bryn finds a battered teenage Were, Connor, bleeding on her front porch. He begs Bryn to protect him from an abusive leader. By the end of the story Bryn will be changed forever.
Goodreads
Review
I started to read this book as soon as I had finished Raised By Wolves, as I couldn't believe how that book had ended, especially with Bryn now being a human Alpha of the Cedar Ridge pack. Bryn's in a dangerous position, as a human Alpha, and she knows that one wrong step, especially when her pack has the largest amount on female Wares of them all, could be deadly. Shay, alpha of another pack, and best friend, Devon's, older brother, is always nipping at her heels, and when one of his own, Connor, turns upon her doorstep, battered and bleeding, she thinks it's a trap. But, she's too kind to leave Connor to die, especially when it's discovered that a magical coven of humans has been attacking Were's, and is out to get her own pack, if she doesn't stop them.
This book definitely cemented everything that we had seen in Raised By Wolves. Jenn has created a fully fleshed out family - definitely a found family for the most part - and the bond and growing kinship within the Cedar Ridge pack was wonderful to see. Obviously, we have Bryn's relationships with best friends, Devon and Lake, adopted mam, Ali, and baby siblings, and with Chase, but there's also how she is with the rest of the pack. Yes, she's their Alpha, and they need to listen to her, but she truly cares about them, and wants them to have as normal a life as they can, especially when so many were turned against their will, at a young age.
I really wasn't expecting to have a magical coven show up in this series, but it was refreshing to see it. Some of the group had seriously scary powers, like manipulating dreams to make you actually think you were burning alive, and waking up with burns, but some you could see had a nicer side, but were being manipulated themselves. My favourite out of all of them was Caroline, and she definitely was someone I wanted to see more of, because I could see there was something there that needed exploring more. This book, again, ended on such a cliffhanger, I was desperate for my copy of Taken By Storm to arrive, because I needed to see how Bryn's actions would have consequences, and if we would get a happy ending in this triology.
Dates Read:
Rating
4 Stars
10 Things I Hate About Pinky
Waiting on Wednesday: 10 Things I Hate About Pinky (Dimple and Rishi #3) by Sandhya Menon
10:00
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pick is:
Series: Dimple and Rishi #3
Author: Sandhya Menon
Published July 21st 2020 by Hodder Paperbacks
Goodreads Summary
The delightful follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetiefollows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.
Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.
Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.
Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget.
Why I'm waiting:
- I love all of Sandhya's books, and Pinky has always intrigued me, so lets see what her story is.
Are you waiting for this book? Have you already read it? Let me know :)
2018 Contemporary Romance Challenge
ARC Review: Love Between Enemies (Grad Night #2) by Molly E. Lee
10:00
Series: Grad Night #2
Author: Molly E. Lee
Published January 8th 2018 by Entangled: Crush
Goodreads Synopsis
Zoey Handler is ready to put an end to her decade-long rivalry with Gordon Meyers. They’ve traded top spot between valedictorian and salutatorian for years, but all that’s over now. Right? But after a crazy graduation speech prank gets out of hand, suddenly their rivalry turns into all-out war. Time to make peace with a little friendly payback.
Step one? Make him believe they’re now friends.
Step two? Show him the time of his life at an epic graduation party.
Step three? Don’t fall for his tricks.
Step four? Absolutely, positively, do not kiss him again.
So what if he’s cute? (Okay, hot.) So what if he’s charming? (Heaven help her, tempting.) So what if he apologizes? (That has to be fake.) She knows the real Gordon. And no matter how much her heart begs her to stop, there’s no turning back.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains one epic party, complete with every high-schoolers-gone-bad shenanigan, and two rivals who discover maybe they could be something much more…if only they’d stop fighting long enough to notice it.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
Immediately after finishing Love in the Friend Zone, I started this book. Again, set at the same high school graduation party as in book 1, this time we follow Gordon and Zoey, who have been competing for all the awards and accolades in school their entire careers - including for the valedictorian spot. It soon becomes apparant that the scholarship that Gordon actually needs to go to college with has been won by Zoey, who he thought hadn't applied as she didn't actually need the scholarship for college. So, during the graduation ceremony, he plays a prank on her that backfires, and leads Zoey to want to punish him at the party. By pretending to be into him, and then breaking his heart, she thinks she has a solid plan, but she soon finds out who the real Gordon is, and wants to stop the plan, but it's too late.
I definitely preferred this book to book 1, though still some aspects of it did annoy me. Zoey was a tough character to understand, or even like, but Gordon was sweet and definitely a good character for this kind of book. I think because of how alike, and at the same time, how different the two were, it made their romance more believable that Fynn and Braylen's, but it was still very fast - again everything took place over a day. Even so, I liked it - it was nice, fast, and enjoyable, and just what I needed in the post Christmas slump that is January.
Dates Read:
January 1-3, 2018Rating
4 Stars
2020 Beat the Backlist challenge
ARC Review: The Princess Plan (A Royal Wedding #1) by Julia London
10:00
Series: A Royal Wedding #1
Author: Julia London
Published November 19th 2019 by Mills & Boon
Goodreads Synopsis
Passion. Intrigue. Love.
London’s high society loves nothing more than a scandal. And when the personal secretary of the visiting Prince Sebastian of Alucia is found murdered, it’s all anyone can talk about, including Eliza Tricklebank. Her unapologetic gossip gazette has benefited from an anonymous tip off about the crime, forcing Sebastian to ask for her help in his quest to find his friend’s killer.
With a trade deal on the line and mounting pressure to secure a noble bride, there’s nothing more dangerous than a prince socialising with a commoner. Sebastian finds Eliza’s contrary manner as frustrating as it is seductive, but they’ll have to work together if they’re going to catch the culprit. And soon, as temptation becomes harder to ignore, it’s the prince who’ll have to decide what comes first—his country or his heart.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Scandal and gossip have always been supreme in Victorian London, and being a member of a group publishing the only women's gazette in London has been perfect for Miss Eliza Tricklebank. When the Crown Prince of Alucia, Sebastian, arrives in England to find a bride and secure a lucrative trade deal, Eliza and sister Hollis, want to get invited to the royal ball, to find out the gossip for their gazette. Eliza and Sebastian meet, but as it's a masquerade, he doesn't recognise her when he later barges into her home, demanding to know where she got her 'evidence' relating to the death of his close friend, and secretary. Eliza is immediately on edge, and can't stand Sebastian's high handedness and arrogance, and quickly puts him in his place. Somewhat chastised, they form an unlikely partnership, to find the culprit, and uncover a plot to kidnap Sebastian. However, their chemistry becomes too much, and the fact that one is the heir to his throne, and the other a spinster commoner, daughter of a blind judge, is one that is hard to overcome.
When I was first approved for this book in November, I started it, but wasn't in the right mood. However, during lock down, historical romances have been what's kept me going, and I remembered about this one. The Princess Plan, quite honestly, was fantastic! I started it about 3 pm, and other than eating, I didn't put it down until I was done at 9. I just adored Eliza, and she was feisty, strong character I could've asked for. After believing she would be engaged years ago, and publicly embarrassed when it fell through, she's embraced her spinsterhood and relishes in helping her father with his work, and her sister with her gazette. Going to the palace for the masquerade ball was a nice bit of fun for Eliza, but she never had any thoughts that anything would come from it, and meeting the prince was a buzz. However, their second meeting at home, when he was rude and arrogant, fully removed any hint of rose tinted glasses, and she could truly be a friend to Sebastian as he struggled with his grief and his sense of duty. Sebastian, on his part, grew so much as a character throughout this book. Understandable, he was an arrogant so and so at first, but it was refreshing to be treated as a normal person by Eliza, and be seen for himself, and not for his title. His love for Eliza came on so gently, but it was heartbreaking to see Sebastian at war with himself over his sense of duty and his desire to be with Eliza.
The romance between the two main characters was phenomenal, and I was rooting for them from the moment Eliza kicked him out of her house. The chemistry was always there, but their mutual love and respect for each other, which came gradually and naturally, made it all so much more believable. I was actually feeling a bit teary as we got towards the end and I couldn't see how they could be together, and thought they would be heartbroken and separate, but I adored the ending, and seriously hope that we see more from the pair in book 2, A Royal Kiss and Tell.
Dates Read:
May 14, 2020Rating
5 Stars
Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.
This week (July 12th-18th) I received:
For review (via NetGalley):
Bright Raven Skies (Sweet Black Waves #3) by Kristina Pérez
Everything a Lady is Not by Sawyer North
The Lord of the Highwaymen (Hearts & Highways #1) by Elizabeth Bramwell
Bought:
My Darling Duke (Sinful Wallflowers #1) by Stacy Reid
Forever Your Earl (The Wicked Quills of London #1) by Eva Leigh
Scandal Takes the Stage (The Wicked Quills of London #2) by Eva Leigh
Temptations of a Wallflower (The Wicked Quills of London #3) by Eva Leigh
From Duke Till Dawn (The London Underground #1) by Eva Leigh
Counting on a Countess (The London Underground #2) by Eva Leigh
Dare to Love a Duke (The London Underground #3) by Eva Leigh
What did you receive? Let me know.
