REVIEW: Wedding of the Season

Title: Wedding of the Season
Author: Laura Lee Guhrke
Series: Abandoned at the Altar
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books
Format: Kindle e-book
# of pages: 360
Source: bought from Amazon
Summary:
(from Amazon)
Abandoned at the altar . . .

Lady Beatrix Danbury had always known she would marry William Mallory. She'd loved him forever and she'd never doubted he loved her, too. But when she made him choose between their life together or his lifelong dream, Will chose the latter . . . and left two weeks before their wedding.

Return of the duke . . .

Will has no illusions that Beatrix would welcome him back with open arms, but six years did not dim his love or desire for her. The only problem is, she's about to marry someone else. Someone safe and predictable . . . the complete opposite of Will. But can he stop the wedding of the season and win Beatrix back, or is it just too late?

Review:
Beatrix, Trix for short, and William Mallory, now Duke of Sunderland, had been engaged 6 years ago.  They were happy and in love until he decided to go to Egypt to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming an archaeologist, and Beatrix decided not to go with him.  They had different expectations, it seemed.  She expected they would settle down in the country side and have a family, living as their ancestors had, and he expected she would follow him on any adventure.

So, the wedding was called off and she has tried to forget Will for the past 6 years.  She thinks she's finally over him and ready to move on with her life, until he returns.  Will has also been trying to forget Trix, and has himself thinking he hates her.  He initially hadn't come back to stop her wedding, but after spending time with her again, his old feelings resurface...the ones that never really went away.  He still wants her, still loves her.  And he wants to show her that her marriage to safe, dependable Aiden Carr, the Duke of Trathen, will pretty much bore her death.  He wants to show her that he's become responsible and dependable, and he wants her to give him a second chance and marry him.  This time, he's not giving up until she says yes.

But, he also says he's not giving up Egypt and his quest to find King Tut's tomb.  And, as mentioned earlier, that's always been a sore spot in their relationship because Trix doesn't want to go to Egypt.  She has a mindset that means home should be in England, that their children should be raised there, and that they should preserve their heritage.  Her ideals are completely different from Will's in that sense.

Trix is independent, very stubborn and set in her ways, and I like that about her.  She doesn't give in so easily, even though she wants to be with Will.  She doesn't just throw away her ideals for a man without really looking at them in comparison to a life without him.  Eventually, she realizes what's really important, as does Will.  I found Will to be very charming and likable, though he could be a bit of a jerk to Trix sometimes.  But he was trying to hide his feelings, and trying to get a rise out of her, so I forgive him, haha.

I enjoy Laura Lee Guhrke's writing, and the story of old loves finding each other again is always a good one.  Highly recommend this one!  Also, I'm looking forward to reading the Duke of Trathen's story, which is the next installment in the series.

Rating:
Plot - ★★★★
Characters - ★★★★
Ending - ★★★★
Overall - ★★★★

REVIEW: A Waltz at Midnight

Title: A Waltz at Midnight
Author: Crista McHugh
Series: n/a
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Format: e-book
# of pages: n/a - 19,000 words
Source: Netgalley
Summary:
(from Netgalley)

New York, 1866

When her mistress receives an utterly unromantic letter from a potential suitor, servant Susanna Parkwell is asked to craft an appropriate response. Though hesitant to take part in the deception, Susanna agrees, never dreaming the scorned suitor will write back.

Theodore Blakely abhors being pressured by his family to marry, but he's intrigued by the witty refusal he receives from "Charlotte". After exchanging more letters, Ted believes he's found a soul mate in his thoughtful and understanding correspondent, and asks permission to formally court her.

Though racked with guilt over her lies, Susanna can't resist the opportunity to meet Ted in person. So she poses as Charlotte at a holiday ball, where she vows to tell him the truth. But when the clock strikes midnight, will Susanna have the courage to reveal her identity and risk losing the man she loves?

Review:
A Waltz at Midnight was a sweet, romantic little novella set after the Civil War. Our main female character, Susanna, had to move from the South to New York to survive. She works at her aunt's boarding house, which houses Vassar students, to earn a living and to save up for her brother's Bar exam. While working there she is persuaded by one of the residents, Charlotte, to reply to a letter from an unwanted suitor. This turns into so much more, as Susanna continues to exchange letters with the suitor, Theodore Blakely, also known as Teddy. They form a connection to each other through these letters, but that's not at all what Charlotte wants. So she makes Susanna pose as her at a masquerade ball to tell Teddy the truth and end it once and for all. But Susanna kept waiting for the right time, which never came. Instead, midnight comes around, the deadline Charlotte had given her. Susanna has to leave, and she tells Teddy to never call on her. Teddy doesn't listen, and ends up calling on Charlotte, which lead him to finding out the truth.

The characters were likable, with both Susanna and Teddy experiencing hardships in their past. Through their letters, they are able to express these hardships, which have never been told to another person. Though they were able to connect like this and their love story was sweet, it was almost too easy. There wasn't really any conflict, other than Susanna lying to Teddy about who she was in her letters. But then, that was resolved really easily too. I thought it could've been a bit longer. Teddy went to confront Susanna, and after an apology, he pretty much forgave her. Susanna kind of seemed more upset than him. I don't know...if I was lied to by the supposed love of my life, I'd be a lot more upset than Teddy seemed to be. But that's just me. And the fact that he's not so upset and everything seems to go easily for the characters, especially him looking past their differences (him from the North, her from the South, etc.), makes this a sweet, but unrealistic love story. Add in the the Cinderella tendencies of this story: stroke of midnight and leaving clothing behind, and it's definitely got a fairytale feel.

But I like fairytales and happy endings and unrealistic love stories, because it makes me happy and helps me get away from the real world for a bit. So overall, I did like the story. It was a sweet and easy read. I recommend it if you're looking to relax and get away from the real world for a little while.

Rating:
Plot - ★★★★
Characters - ★★★
Ending - ★★★
Overall - ★★★

2012 Debut Author Challenge

I've seen this challenge the past couple years on The Story Siren, but haven't joined before.  Thought I'd give it a try this year!  You still have a chance to join, if you're interested.  The deadline to join is May 31, 2012!

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:

• To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*

*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

BOOK GUIDELINES:

• Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
• Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
• If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
• If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

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RRRC: March 2012 Monthly Challenge

I'm doing 5 out of the 10 categories this month!  I haven't chosen my books for this challenge yet, so I'll just post as I go along. :]

0/5

1. 'M' is for March: Read a book that starts with the letter 'M' or a book whose author's first or last name starts with the letter 'M'.

4. Third Month: Read a book that has 3 words or is 3rd in a series.

5. Popcorn Lover's Day (8 Mar): Read a book that has been converted to a movie or vice versa.

9. American Red Cross Month: Read a book with a hospital setting or character or a book with a red cover.

10. Reader's Choice: Read any book of your choice

REVIEW: A Duke of Her Own

Title: A Duke of Her Own
Author: Lorraine Heath
Series: Rogues and Roses
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books
Format: Kindle e-book
# of pages: 368
Source: bought from Amazon
Summary:
(from Amazon)

Lady Louisa longs to marry for passion and love—but will she find happiness in the arms of the duke?

Review:
This is the first Lorraine Heath book that I've ever read, and it didn't disappoint.

A Duke of Her Own is set in an era of England where times are quickly changing.  The ton no longer lives as leisurely as they're used to, as they're now wrought with money concerns.  Most of them have hardly any money left, and the men of the ton are now looking to marry American heiresses for money.  And that leaves Lady Louisa without many options.  She is a lady of the ton without a dowry, thus basically eliminating any marriage prospects.  Realizing her situation and having no hope in it, she decides that she won't sit around to wait and see what happens with her future.  She takes it into her own hands and decides to post an ad in a women's paper advertising herself as a chaperone and social guide to an American lady.

She is hired by the Rose family, who has two daughters they'd like to see married to men with a title, and her brother, the Earl of Ravensley, and his friends, the Duke of Hawkhurst and Marquess of Falconridge, are ecstatic about this.  They all want to marry one of the Rose daughters and think they have an in through Louisa.  I'm not sure why the Rose daughters, Jenny and Kate, are their main focus.  It was never explained what made them more attractive than other American heiresses, but that's not that big of a deal, I guess.

Anyway, the men thought wrong, as Louisa does not think they are at all suitable for either of her charges.  But they try nonetheless, and Louisa has made a promise that, while she won't encourage their suit, she won't purposely hinder it either.  Since this is Hawkhurst's novel, it follows his suit of Jenny Rose, who he thinks will be the better of the two as his wife.  (Actually, all the men prefer Jenny, and I don't blame them!)  But though he's trying to court Jenny, all he can think about is Louisa, his friend's sister!

Mrs. Rose highly approves of Hawkhurst, as only a Duke will do for her daughters.  But Jenny has a mind of her own, and wants passion in her marriage!  She likes the Duke, but hasn't had time to see if he has the passion she's looking for, with her chaperone keeping a tight leash on her.  Besides, she's noticed the way the Duke looks at Louisa, and Jenny and Louisa have become friends throughout their time together.  And, more to the point, Jenny's just not ready to get married yet.

But Hawkhurst is getting desperate, as he has his mother and a secret sister to support.  So he plans to be caught compromising Jenny, in order to ensure marriage to her.  You know what they say about the best laid plans...especially when you tell a rival about them!  Instead, Hawkhurst is caught in a compromising position with Louisa, who he then marries.  Married life is good for them, but Louisa begins to realize the situation Hawk is in, and feels guilty.  So, she decides to do something that causes a bit of conflict, but in the end, all is well, as they realize their love for each other.  There wasn't anything too dramatic; no real shockers in this book.  Just a nice little story.

I like that they didn't just fall in love all of sudden.  Instead, in the beginning, they had a slight interest in each other that they didn't want to admit, and that interest grew as Hawkhurst attempted to court Jenny.  Instead of concentrating on courting Jenny, Hawkhurst couldn't stop thinking about Louisa.  Their love slowly built up, as they learned more about each other.

And I really liked both of the main characters too.  In addition to being the usual strong male, Hawkhurst was kind and passionate, while Louisa was strong, independent and also passionate.  I also liked Jenny Rose and her brother Jeremy Rose.  Jeremy is mentioned more in the last half of the book, and him and Louisa are friendly with each other.  He becomes he champion after Hawkhurst compromises her.  I'm looking forward to his story, as well as Jenny's.  I'm guessing that Jenny will most likely end up with Louisa's brother, as she was dallying with him in this book.  Though I have no idea who Jeremy will end up with, or even if he will have a book in this series.  I hope Ms. Heath writes him a story.  As for Kate Rose...I have to say, I didn't like her very much.  Her story is already out, the second installment of this series.  She ends up with the Marquess of Falconridge, and from the reviews I read, she doesn't change at all from how she is in this book.  The reviews made her seem even worse.  So, I think I'll skip her story.  But I really want to read Jenny's story and Jeremy's story, as Louisa has promised to help him find a wife.  I hope Ms. Heath's muse decides to give her inspiration to write both books soon!

Rating:
Plot - ★★★★
Characters - ★★★★
Ending - ★★★★★
Overall - ★★★★

Challenge: What's in a Name (#5)

Even though I epicly failed at keeping up with this challenge the last time I tried, I'm going to attempt it again!  This year is the 5th run of this challenge, and it is being hosted by Bethfish.

Here's How It Works
Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley
2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas
   Everything and the Moon - January 23, 2012
3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm
4. A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House
5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary
6. A book with something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking
   

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
Books may overlap other challenges.
Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

RRRC: Treasure Hunt (Quarterly Challenge)

Treasure Hunt (Quarterly Challenge) - aka Barbie & Ken
Duration: 15 February – 14 May 2012

Clothing (or predominant part thereof): cowboy hat, top hat, beanie, singlet/sleeveless top, shirt, pants, skirt, dress, underpants, bra, stockings, jacket, business shoes, high-heels, boots, socks, sandals, scarf, tie/cravat, belt

Other items:
Personal - eye glasses (sunglasses are fine), ring, pendant/necklace, bracelet/arm-band, earring or other piercing, tattoo, watch/pocket-watch, fan, hand-mirror

• Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - 03/11/12 (necklaces or ring)

Weapons - sword, knife, gun

Nice to have - flower, candle, chocolates/candy, sports ball or other sports equipment, playing cards, piece of fruit, book, computer

Transportation - boat, car, motorbike, bicycle, plane (helicopter may be substituted for plane), carriage/stagecoach, horse if it is actively being used as transport (ridden or pulling carriages)

Read the Month: mi M-A-R-T-A (Irish Edition)

Read the Month Irish Edition
mi M-A-R-T-A (March)
Duration: March 1, 2012 - March 31, 2012

READ: 2/5

My Fair Temptress by Christina Dodd
An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
Rogue and the Rival, The by Maya Rodale 03/29/2012
To Sir Phillip with Love by Julia Quinn
A Duke of Her Own by Lorraine Heath 03/02/2012

REVIEW: Anna and the French Kiss

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Series: has 2 companion novels
Genre: YA Romance
Publisher: Speak (part of the Penguin Group)
Format: Paperback
# of pages: 372
Source: Library
Summary:
(from inside flap)

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection.  So she's not too pleased when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.  But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new friends, including the handsome  Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend.  Unfortunately, he's taken-and Anna might be, too.  Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's been waiting for?

Review:
It's been a long while since I've read a good YA novel.  Good thing I found this one!  I had actually wanted to read this when it came out, and was appearing on everyone's blogs, but I never got around to snagging a copy for my own.  But my last trip to the library, I was browsing the racks in the YA section, and there it was.  So I snagged it and just finished reading it today.  Let me just say up front: it was excellent!

Anna and the French Kiss is about a girl named Anna who is sent to an American boarding school in Paris for her Senior year because her father thinks it's a good idea.  She's not overly fond of her father, and she hates the idea of attending school in Paris.  But it's too late, because her parents have made up their minds and have left her there to fend for herself.  Eventually though, everything changes, and Anna no longer hates Paris.  She has made new friends, even a new best friend, the handsome Étienne St. Clair.  There's betrayal and drama in Anna's life, of course.  There has to be some strife to make the story interesting, right?  But I did kind of see the betrayal coming, ever since that first phone call.  By the end of the novel, Anna is sad to be leaving Paris, but happy to be on her way to college.

Whenever I read stories about boarding school, it makes me wish I was able to attend one.  And with this one being in Paris, I wish I could've gone to a school like that even more!  Anna got to explore Paris everyday while she was there.  The descriptions of everything was lovely, and I could really picture the setting, as she explored the city around her.  But of course, boarding school is probably not as fun as these novels make it out to be.

Anyway, Stephanie Perkins writes the voice of a teenage girl really well!  I was able to relate to Anna, who became quite real to me, with everything that she felt for her friends, family, and the guys in her life.  If I met her in real life, I would totally be her friend.  Also, she's a great narrator.  However, she does have flaws, as do her close friends.  But that just makes this even more real to me.  And even though they have flaws, I must say that I totally love all the characters that were a part of Anna's circle of friends in Paris.  Especially Étienne.  I could just imagine him, speaking in his British accent. *swoon*  He's really very handsome the way I picture him, haha.  The author is totally right!  American girls LOVE hot boys with British accents.  Well, at least the American girls that I know (self included).  It just multiplies their sexy points by a million! lol.

I definitely recommend this book!  It was a cute, fun, quick, and easy read, that's also quite realistic.  It had me chuckling quite a bit.  I really like the author's writing style, and can't wait to read more of her work!  I think the fact that I want to read more from this author can speak for how good this book was! :)

(SPOILER ALERT! kind of?)
I know there's a companion piece to this that out already, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and another companion piece coming out next year, Isla and the Happily Ever After.  I definitely can't wait to get my hands on both, so that I can find out how Anna and Étienne are doing.  I've read a review of Lola and the Boy Next Door and know that Anna and Étienne make some cameos.  I want to know how college life is treating them and how their relationship is going.  I was really rooting for them the whole way through Anna and the French Kiss!

And some little tidbits, that didn't affect my enjoyment of reading this book...I really like the uneven pages.  I love books that are printed like this.  Also, the cover is nice, but I wish they had shown the male model's face. I think that might be on purpose, so that the reader will create their own visual of Étienne.  But then, why did they show the male model on the cover of her other book?  Hmm...curious...

Rating:
Plot - ★★★★★
Characters - ★★★★★
Ending - ★★★★★
Overall - ★★★★★

REVIEW: Ten Things I Love About You

Title: Ten Things I Love About You
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: The Bevelstoke Series
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon Books
Format: Paperback
# of pages: 375
Source: Library
Challenge: 2012 Julia Quinn Challenge
Summary:
(from back of book)

Ten Things You Should Know About This Book

1. Sebastian Grey is a devilishly handsome rogue with a secret.

2. Annabel Winslow's family voted her The Winslow Most Likely to Speak Her Mind and The Winslow Most Likely to Fall Asleep in Church.

3. Sebastian's uncle is the Earl of Newbury, and if he dies without siring an heir, Sebastian inherits everything.

4. Lord Newbury detests Sebastian and will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening.

5. Lord Newbury has decided that Annabel is the answer to all of his problems.

6. Annabel does not want to marry Lord Newbury, especially when she finds out he once romanced her grandmother.

7 is shocking, 8 is delicious, and 9 is downright wicked, all of which lead the way to

10. Happily. Ever. After. 

Review:
Ten Things I Love About You starts off with Lord of Newbury eyeing our heroine, Annabel Winslow, as his new bride. Of course, Annabel doesn't want to be...and who would? Lord Newbury is old and fat and not at all handsome. But she must! Because it's her duty...and though she doesn't like it, she's almost certain she will end up marrying him, for the sake of her siblings. But then, she meets Sebastian Grey, our very likable hero. He is a big contrast to the fat, ugly Lord Newbury, and Annabel is certain to fall in love with him. And so the story goes. Throw in a little secret and some meddling side characters, and you've got this novel!

The characters were likable enough, though I wasn't as engaged in this love story as I usually am with Quinn's other characters. I didn't connect with them, I guess. I was interested in Lady Louisa's story more so than the main characters', and do hope that Julia Quinn decides to write a novel for her as well as Edward. The plot was so-so...the twist was not much of a twist, after all.  Also, I find Sebastian's secret quite interesting, but I'm surprised no one has ever guessed it...

As you can probably tell, this is not my favorite Julia Quinn novel by any means. I actually couldn't really get into the story until about halfway in, and then I felt like I couldn't put it down. But still, it was enjoyable to read and several times while reading, I found my lips quirking up into a smile as I laughed to myself.  I would definitely recommend this. It is a feel good novel with a happy ending, and I love reading those! Plus, Julia Quinn is one of my favorite authors. :)

Rating:
Plot - ★★★
Characters - ★★★★
Ending - ★★★★★
Overall - ★★★★