Weekend cooking: Blancmange

Recently I was reading a historical romance novel by Lisa Kleypas called Devil in Spring where the characters started talking about a dessert called blancmange. Now, this instantly bought me back to home economics classes in high school where we made this dessert. I've never made it or had it since, but I did then.

In the book, our leading lady, Lady Pandora, is a bit unusual for a lady of her day, and she is contemplating all the ways she would need to change in order to be  more ladylike:

What did ladies think about? Things like starting charities and visiting the tenants, and blancmange recipes—yes, ladies were always bringing blancmange to people. What was blancmange, anyway? It had no flavor or color. At best it was only unassertive pudding. Would it still be blancmange if one put some kind of topping on it? Berries or lemon sauce

Now later in the book, Pandora has had a change of heart in relation to this dessert:

Blancmange, incidentally, had turned out to be a revelation. Everything she thought she'd disliked before, its mildness, its whiteness, and lack of texture, turned out to be the best things about it.

In fact, it turns out to become the only thing in her schedule which cannot be interrupted

"Tell him to visit at his convenience," she said. "My schedule is quite flexible, other than my midmorning blancmange, which cannot be interrupted for any reason."

For those who don't know, blancmange is defined on Wikipedia as "sweet dessert commonly made with milk or cream and sugar thickened with gelatin, corn starch or Irish moss[1] (a source of carrageenan), and often flavoured with almonds." The origins of the word are French with blanc meaning white and mange meaning eat.

The first thing that stands out in that definition to me are the words Irish moss and even after reading the definition of that (it's a type of algae), I'm not convinced about it's usage, but apparently it is used as a thickener in desserts around the world. Anyway, I digress.

I did find myself wondering about how it is that blancmange is not ever talked about and yet every smart restaurant has a version of pannacotta on their menu.There is a difference between the two, in that blancmange is generally made using thickeners that need to be cooked and pannacotta generally uses gelatin as the setting agent and isn't cooked.

Maybe it is something to do with the word itself. I say it as bla-monj which in my mind it the kind of sound that it makes as it come out of the mould!

Have you ever tried blancmange? Or flummery? When I was writing this post I kept on coming across references to flummery as well.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. For more information, see the welcome post.

Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

When Sylvester, the Duke of Salford, first meets Phoebe Marlow, he finds her dull and insipid. She finds him insufferably arrogant. But when a series of unforeseen events leads them to be stranded together in a lonely country inn, they are both forced to reassess their hastily formed opinions, and begin a new-found liking and respect for each other. Sylvester calls to mind the satirical genius of a Jane Austen novel and is adored for its wit and a fast-paced plot that ranges across a myriad of settings

I first listened to this book just under 3 years ago, but I never did post anything about it, which was remiss of me but I think not really unexpected. After I finished The Passage and then another audio book, I was trying to decide what to read next. I do have a few books that I have already purchased but not yet listened to, as well as a list of books I'd like to get to someday, but none of them really tickled my fancy. And then I hit on the idea of listening again to a Georgette Heyer novel as narrated by Richard Armitage, mainly because it is my idea of aural bliss to listen to him read anything, but he does seem to be particularly suited to narrating Heyer novels.

He has the right tone in his voice that lends itself to upper class accents and his characterisation is so good that it doesn't matter whether the character is old or young, or female or male, each character is individual and recognisable.

Now, I should mention up front that this is an abridged audiobook, but it is a well done abridgement. I don't think I have missed anything through the story so it might be interesting to read in full one time to see what was cut out. That's not always the case. Years ago I listened to a novel where the abridgement wasn't quite so good. At one point the main character was regretting having kissed someone other than her husband and I was like wait...what.

What about the book itself. It is Heyer, so it is all Regency ballrooms and dukes abound, but it is a fun read. I don't want to recap the plot as such because I don't want too start to feel like I should write a full review, rather than just commentary. I will see that I did find myself wondering how much of the language that Heyer used was made up. I am sure that I heard somewhere that she did.

I fully expect to listen to more of the Heyer books Richard Armitage has narrated. It is a totally enjoyable treat.

Reconstructing Jackson by Holly Bush

This book is kind of unusual for me to read, mainly because I don't go out of my way to read self published books. I don't have anything against them other than the fact that I want to not be taking risks on poor format, spelling, grammar and lacklustre storytelling. While I have read other self published books this year, it has been from authors that I already know that I like and trust.

What prompted me to want to read this book though was the fact that I had seen some good reviews of previous books by the author and I liked the idea of a book being set just after the American Civil War. I was prepared to take the chance. And, for the most part, it is a risk that I am glad that I took! There were a few typos, but these days you can get those even in books published by the big name publishers, and I think there was a certain.... something... missing from the writing. Having said that, there were risks that the author took in telling the story that I couldn't necessarily see being allowed by a traditional publisher that made the reader journey a worthwhile one for me.

Reed Jackson is heading to Fenton, Missouri looking for a new start with plans to set up a business as a lawyer in the town. Reed was a Confederate soldier in the Civil War. He lost one leg and severely damaged the other leg in the course of the fighting, leaving him wheelchair bound, but it was his other losses that hurt just as much, if not more. Not only did he lose the plantation that was his birthright when his father passed it on to his younger brother, but he also lost his fiancee as part of the same transaction. Reed is a bitter man, lamenting his losses even as he tries to start again, but most definitely not wanting anyone to feel pity towards him.

A big part of the story though, is not just about Reed as a man who has lost so much but also about a man who is a product of his time and upbringing trying to come to terms with the changes in the world. When Reed comes to Fenton, he takes a room in the hotel that is run by his cousin and his wife, which is managed by Beulah Freeman, a freed slave. For Reed, the idea of sitting down at the same table is something that is totally foreign to his previous life, let alone the idea of becoming friends with a former slave. But with the end of the war and the victory of the North, the normal social rules that were once so rigid are collapsing and men like Reed need to learn the new ways if they are to adapt successfully.

You can't have a romance with only one character though and so now we come to Miss Belle Richards. Where Reed is the quintessential, wealthy Southern gentleman, Belle is more of the dirt poor, completely dysfunctional family type girl. Her father and two redneck brothers see her as their servant to order around, to have serve them  and to beat if she steps out of line. Belle is, however, determined to escape from their clutches, and she will do whatever she can to facilitate that. Her first step is learning to read. When her brother finds out though, the consequences are severe and Reed's instinct to offer her protection in any way he can leads to an unlikely marriage.

I mentioned earlier about Reed having to come to terms with the new social rules. It is important to note that the author does not shy away from using the kind of language that may have been prevalent at the that time. She also does not back away from the violence and uncertainly that would have followed the war, to the point that there are some scenes in this book that are quite confronting. Holly Bush is not afraid to push her characters into situations where they are in danger. I was a little uncomfortable with one of the situations that Reed found himself in. It did fit with his fierce need to be able to prove that he could not only provide Belle with the kind of life that she could have only imagined as a possibility before, but also to be able to protect her should the need arise but the question of whether it was too far is probably one for each individual reader to decide.

I really enjoyed this story. I liked Holly Bush's voice and I would be happy to read more from her. I do think that there is a certain aspect of the writing that isn't quite there yet for me. The word that I keep coming back to is sophistication but I am not sure that really gets to the heart of the matter. The ideas and the story were good, the writing was quite good, it was just that some of the plot transitions were too direct or something. For example, in the first chapter we are introduced to the woe-is-me depths of Reed as a character. In the next chapter, we are immersed in Belle's terrible world. Whilst that is understandable in terms of establishing character, when there is that abruptness in lots of the scene changes it becomes noticeable. I guess one of the things that I would be looking for in future is some kind of smoother transition from one scene to the next. Don't get me wrong, this is a minor complaint on my part - it won't stop me from reading more from Holly Bush.

I am glad I took a chance on this one!

Rating 4/5

Thanks to Amy from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for my copy of the book.

Tour Details

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Synopsis

1867 . . . Southern lawyer and Civil War veteran, Reed Jackson, returns to his family’s plantation in a wheelchair. His father deems him unfit, and deeds the Jackson holdings, including his intended bride, to a younger brother. Angry and bitter, Reed moves west to Fenton, Missouri, home to a cousin with a successful business, intending to start over.

Belle Richards, a dirt poor farm girl aching to learn how to read, cleans, cooks and holds together her family’s meager property. A violent brother and a drunken father plot to marry her off, and gain a new horse in the bargain. But Belle’s got other plans, and risks her life to reach them.

Reed is captivated by Belle from their first meeting, but wheelchair bound, is unable to protect her from violence. Bleak times will challenge Reed and Belle's courage and dreams as they forge a new beginning from the ashes of war and ignorance.

The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James (includes international giveaway)

Theodora Saxby is a wealthy young woman and so you would have thought that she would have been in demand on the marriage market. She is, though, considered to be quite unattractive and so even with her wealth the pickings on the possible marriage market are slim.

What Theo doesn't know is that her odious guardian has not only managed to run his own estate into the ground, he has also 'borrowed' some of her own money. His handsome and accomplished son James is mortified when he discovers that his father is expecting him to marry Theo, or Daisy as he likes to call her, in order to keep his indiscretions undiscovered. It's not that James is reluctant to marry Theo because of her looks, but rather because she is his closest friends having shared the school room with him. He is also sure that when she finds out that James had to marry him, Theo will be extremely hurt which in due course is exactly what happens. I wasn't quite convinced on the need to hide the truth, or at least why it couldn't be explained to Theo couched in more acceptable terms.

Once they start to think of each other as possible marriage partners, the attraction grows. After being caught in a compromising position, James and Theo are married post haste and initially at least they are both very happy. The newspapers however were having a field day, quickly dubbing Theo the 'Ugly Duchess', however this is nothing compared to the scandal that is caused when Theo throws James and his father out of her life when she finds out the truth about her marriage. The fact that James and Theo were quickly realising that their feelings for each other were much stronger than they initially thought is not enough to save the marriage.

Here the two characters go there separate ways for an extended period of time, perhaps too long in my opinion, but still. Whilst Theo retreats to the country and starts working towards rehabilitating the duchy's financial situation, James takes the one asset that Theo said he could keep, a boat, and withdraws to the sea. Years pass and Theo emerges from her country life now comfortably wealthy and heads to Paris for an extended period and returns to becomes something of a trendsetter - she will never be considered beautiful but she has learned not to dress as per the frills and flounces that her mother chose to dress her in as a debutante and into stylish clothing that is designed to suit her figure and features. The word striking, handsome and spirited would probably be applied

James however has disappeared. When he took the boat, he became a pirate privateer with his cousin, but of course, like most romance hero pirates he is a good pirate privateer. He only kills men who truly deserve it, only has a couple of women in the years he spends apart from his wife, and gets rich from only stealing from other, badder pirates. Along the way he changes his name to a much better pirate privateer name and gains a tattoo and some scars.

Without giving too much away, a series of events finally sends James back to England and back to his wife. Whilst it's not quite an instant romantic reunion it really isn't all that long before we get to the inevitable ending.

I really enjoyed lots of things about this book - I liked Theo, I liked that for once the author made the heroine someone who you could imagine wouldn't be considered beautiful now but wasn't in the past because our definition of beauty has changed. I liked that she was good at business and was able to singlehandedly save the duchy. She possibly took a bit long to get to the point of moving on but this would have been a very different book if she had of moved on sooner.

I liked James both before the whole pirate privateer thing, and even as a pirate but I was kind of shocked that he expected to walk back into his old life with very few repercussions. I was also kind of disappointed that Theo accepted James back as quickly as she did. I think I needed him to grovel more because that man had years of absence to explain!

If I read back through the reviews I have written about Eloisa James books, there is a common theme. I mostly like them... but. Most of the time the but was because I felt as though the author was far cleverer than me and her books reflected back. I have to say though, I have felt that less the further her current Happy Ever After series has gone on, the more I am able to get lost in the book and not worry so much about that.

Now if, like me, the fact that I just said that this book is part of a series - it is in fact the fourth book - makes you instantly think I can't read this book until I have read the previous ones, don't fret. The four books in the series are not linked through the characters or even the story. They are all standalone. What they do have in common is that they are historical romance retelling of fairy tales.


Tour Details

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Rating 4/5

Synopsis

How can she dare to imagine he loves her…when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess?

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime…until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry. Society was shocked by their wedding; it's scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his lifetime, convincing Theo that he loved the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that for a man with the soul of a pirate, All's Fair in Love—or War.

If this book sounds like something you might like to try, then enter the international giveaway that I am hosting! To enter leave a comment including your email address answering this question:

What is your favourite romance fairy tale retelling, or what would be your favourite fairy tale to be retold?

The giveaway closes on 30 September 2012

BBAW Day 4: Romance by the Sea

Today's BBAW prompt:

One of the best parts about book blogging is the exposure to books and authors you might never have heard of before. Pimp the book you think needs more recognition on this day. Get creative! Maybe share snippets from other bloggers who have reviewed it or make some fun art to get your message across.

I am, however, going to be a bit naughty creative and instead of spotlighting a book, I am going to spotlight a group of authors! 

Last weekend I attended an event called Romance by the Sea. It was held in Queenscliff which is a town about an hour and a half away from me, and it was a fund raiser for a charity called A Cottage by the Sea which is a not for profit organisation which provides disadvantaged kids with opportunities they might otherwise might not have had.

The event was held at the gorgeous Queenscliff Hotel - amazing inside and out!

There were approximately 40 people all up at the event and it lasted all day, including lunch (amazing, amazing food at the lunch!) and a dinner if you wanted to stay, which means that there was lots of opportunities to get to chat to the authors who are around.

Among the authors in attendance there were bestselling authors like Stephanie Laurens and Keri Arthur, favourite authors like Sarah Mayberry, authors who I have read and enjoyed and wanted to read more of like Anne Gracie, Marion Lennox, Fiona Lowe and Jennifer Kloester plus some other authors who I either own books which I need to read still or who I need to discover like MJ Scott, Lilian Darcy and Carol Marinelli.

For me, one of the definite thrills was getting to have a chat with Sarah Mayberry, who writes fantastic contemporary category romance. As soon as there is a new book out by her, I grab it and inhale it and then have to wait for the next one!

The program was really interesting with Stephanie Laurens kicking off talking about the Books We Love to Read and why we should read the book we love to read - basically a discussion of literary fiction vs general fiction vs genre fiction and why it is okay to love reading genre fiction!

Other topics include Anne Gracie talking about the universal romance hero, Jennifer Kloester talking about the ongoing appeal of Georgette Heyer and more. There were panels talking about how Mills and Boon is anything but the same old story and formula written to order, asking the question what makes a great romance.

We were given a short time to wander around the town when there were readings that were held in the local bookstore which is in a converted church and the local art gallery, where there was some amazing art, and back at the hotel

Anne Gracie about to read

Inside the Barwon Bookseller store which has been converted from an old church.

Stephanie Laurens

Keri Arthur having just finished her reading

M J Scott reading

Sarah Mayberry - I managed not to squee too much when I chatted to her!

Fiona Lowe and Marion Lennox

The final sessions were asking the eternal question - where do you get your ideas from and then closing with what makes a good sex scene. I did take notes for all the sessions, but this post would be humongous if I actually included all of those as well!

Over all, this was such a fabulous day and special kudos should go to the organisers. I will definitely be buying a ticket if they have this event again next year, especially seeing as we were able to raise quite a large sum for this good cause.

So you may wonder how I am going to link this to the post topic today? Me too.. actually, no, I do know how.

All of these fabulous authors devoted their time and energy to a fantastic day at a gorgeous venue. So if you happen to be thinking about reading any one of their books, or if you fancy taking a chance on some fabulous Australian romance authors, then please do take some time to choose and enjoy one or more of their books! No matter whether you love contemporary romance, paranormal romance or historical romance there is an author here for you!

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

A new novel from Elizabeth Hoyt is always a fantastic treat, and it is one that I await with anticipation between each new book!

This book is the 4th book in the Maiden Lane series of books that is set predominantly in the very unfashionable part of London - St Giles. This is the area of town where young women would definitely not be expected to wander alone, and where even men of the ton would not risk entering unless they absolutely have to.

For Winter Makepeace though, the orphanage that he manages is located in St Giles and is home, and so, therefore, are the laneways and streets. In the earlier books in the series, you could almost be forgiven for thinking that Winter was nothing but a dour schoolmaster type, always serious and always right.

You would be wrong though.

The book opens when Lady Isabel Beckinhall is driving through the St Giles area of London and notices that there is an unconscious man in her path. Acting somewhat impetuously, Lady Beckinhall gets her men to throw him into the carriage and whisks him away, thus saving him from his pursuers. The man wears a costume and a mask - he is the notorious Ghost of St Giles. With a badly injured leg, The Ghost is in danger of being caught by the authorities, but rather than turn him in, Lady Isabel takes him home and cares for him, but he is very careful not to reveal his true identity.

Isabel and Winter are familiar to each other, and they tend to rub each other the wrong way. Winter sees Lady Isabel as being too frivolous and she sees him as too boring and responsible. She is, however, definitely fascinated by the dashing and dangerous Ghost who does his best to keep the vulnerable in St Giles safe and gain justice for those who are being exploited.

With more and more society ladies becoming involved in the home, some of the ladies of the charity feel that Winter is not a truly acceptable face of the home, and so they lobby to replace him with someone more suitable. Isabel is however determined to give Winter every chance to keep his post, and so she offers to teach him some social graces. The more they are thrown together the more they begin to appreciate each other. Isabel sees how truly devoted Winter is to the children and to the home, and he sees that Isabel has more depth than just being a society madam. Of course, the chemistry between the two of them is also scorching, something that is a hallmark of the romances that Elizabeth Hoyt writes!

Part of the reason that the chemistry between these two works so well is that Hoyt takes many of the normal romance tropes and turns them on their head. Isabel is the experienced one of the pair. She has been married before and has had several lovers since her husband's death. Winter is that rare thing in romance, and historical romance in particular, a virgin hero. The scenes where Isabel introduces Winter to the pleasures of sex are very hot!

Another hallmark of Hoyt's books are the fairy tales that is told in sections at the beginning of each chapter, and again the fairytale reflects the underlying themes being explored in the main romance between Isabel and Winter. It will be interesting to see if Hoyt continues to use this particular fairytale idea throughout her next series of books (and yes, I am looking forward to the next series (multiple) despite the fact that this series isn't even finished yet) or if this gimmick will eventually be one which she leaves behind.

I was a little surprised by the epilogue because it seemed to me that some of the 'rules' were changed in relation to the existence of the Ghost, and I also wasn't sure about the couple but despite those reservations, I will still be looking forward to the next book and will be reading it as soon as I possibly can.

Rating 4/5

A MASKED MAN . . .

Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he's the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles-protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.

A DANGEROUS WOMAN . . .

Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she's asked to tutor the Home's dour manager in the ways of society-flirtation, double-entendres, and scandalous liaisons-Isabel can't help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar-and his lips so tempting.

A PASSION NEITHER COULD DENY

During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed . . . But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything-the Home, Isabel . . . and his life.

Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes

I am going to preface my thoughts about this book by saying that I did actually like it. I just want to get that out there because there may be times when it might sound differently.

Maggie Windham is an illegitimate daughter of  the Duke of Moreland, however she has been formally adopted by the Duke and Duchess and so has grown up as part of the large extended Windham family. She has, however, always known that she is different from her brothers and sisters. She is both part of the family and set apart from it by the circumstances of her birth. She knows that, for her, there will be no brilliant marriage match and so she has instead sought to make herself completely independent. In doing so Maggie has shown good intuition when it comes to the making of money and so is independently wealthy.

Benjamin Hazlit is an investigator who has been hired to perform various tasks for Maggie's family. He too knows what it is like to be both part of and apart from his family and in this aspect, he and Maggie are a good match! Another reason for this is because Benjamin is a man with big secrets of his own, and Maggie has been hiding a very big secret from her family for years.

Maggie hires the investigator after her reticule goes missing from her house and Maggie is terrified that the wrong people may get hold of it. She must do anything she can to avoid more scandal for her family. To be honest, I found this a flimsy pretext to start the story on and thought that the mystery of what exactly was in the reticule was unravelled far too slowly. Once the big secret is revealed, I understood why Maggie was scared but it took way too long to get to that point.

Benjamin is determined to give Maggie some relief from her self inflicted isolation and so he slowly and surely begins to seduce her, but along the way he also begins to understand that he must open himself up to his loved ones as well. One of the things that I appreciate about Burrowes' writing is that she does do the slow, intense build up between her couples so well. Page by page, moment by moment the tension builds.

While I liked Benjamin a lot, I did wonder about the practicalities of his super-secret identity. I just don't see how he could have kept his secret for as long as he did without drawing attention to himself. This is just one example of where Burrowes' stretches the bounds of historical accuracy within her books. To be honest, I go into her books expecting historical accuracy to be one of the casualties, but the way she builds the characters and tension make up for that. In my review for the previous book in this series I said "There is no one else that I am reading in historical romance at the moment that has that kind of mellow tempo and fluidity that Grace Burrowes has in her books whilst still having sizzling chemistry between the characters." Aside from the issue that I am quoting myself... I would still stand by this exact sentiment!

The bad guys were very bad and as such a bit two dimensional, and to be honest the resolution of the suspense sub plot was a bit flat too. It turns out that one or two decent conversations with the duke and duchess could have completely changed everything in relation to this story, but Maggie is so darned busy being a martyr in trying to protect those around her that she can't see the forest for the trees.

Where the characterisations are much better is in the secondary characters. Benjamin's business partner, and heir, is his cousin Archer and the scenes featuring the two of them were filled with fun banter and definitely helped draw a fuller picture of the man that Benjamin really is. The Duke and Duchess are also a real treat to read. I wasn't all that fond of the Duke in the first couple of books that he appeared in, but now I almost anticipate the next scene that the two of them will appear in!

Like the other books I have read by Burrowes, there are both positives and negatives. Regardless, I will be looking forward to when the next book in the Duke's Daughters series comes out.  Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight is due out in October!

Rating 4/5

Synopsis:

Maggie Windham, oldest of the Windham sisters and a by-blow from His Grace’s pre-marital wild oats, finds herself in desperate needs of an investigator to help her retrieve a missing reticule. Benjamin Hazlit knows the Windham family secrets, and can be trusted to keep them to himself, so Maggie turns to Benjamin, though it means ignoring his too-broad shoulders, his too-knowing smile… and his too-skilled kisses. As Benjamin starts the search for Maggie’s missing purse, he realizes two things: First, whatever was in that purse, its loss has Maggie not just rattled, but terrified. Second, Benjamin will go to any lengths to see Maggie’s peace of mind restored, even if it means he must keep himself in very close proximity to the shy, secretive lady who says she wants nothing to do with him.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy I read.

The Smythe-Smith story so far

To say that the Bridgerton series is one that is loved by a lot historical romance fans is possibly a bit of an understatement. Like many other readers I made my way through the series thoroughly enjoying the romance and the humour of Julia Quinn's writing and spending time with all eight of the Bridgerton siblings and their romantic partners.

There were lots of regular characters in the series, and there have been a couple of different spin-offs as a result. One was Lady Whistledown who was a society gossip writer who regularly reported on the budding romances and scandals of the ton. Not only did we get to read her insights in the Bridgerton book but she also inspired two anthologies - The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown and Lady Whistledown Strikes Back.

The other spin off is the current series by Julia Quinn - the Smythe-Smith quartet. The first book, Just Like Heaven, was released last year with the second book, A Night Like This, going on sale this week. I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about the series before focusing on the two individual books.

The members of the ton know exactly what to expect when they attend the annual Smythe-Smith musical gala - lots of gala but not much in the way of music. Despite having hosted the gala for many years, none of the musicians are at all proficient and it just seems like each year it gets worse and worse. The event is always very well attended though.

It is quite clever of Julia Quinn to take this one joke and spin it through not only the Bridgerton books, but then to build a new series out of it, and to do so without the concept feeling very tired.

So let's look at the two books individually:

HONORIA SMYTHE-SMITH IS:

A) a really bad violinist

B) still miffed at being nicknamed "Bug" as a child

C) NOT in love with her older brother's best friend

D) All of the above

MARCUS HOLROYD IS:

A) the Earl of Chatteris

B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles

C) NOT in love with his best friend's younger sister

D) All of the above

TOGETHER THEY:

A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake

B) survive a deadly fever AND world's worst musical performance

C) fall quite desperately in love.

It's Julia Quinn at her best, so you KNOW the answer is...

D) All of the above

Marcus Holroyd grew up as an only child, heir to an earldom, growing up lacking nothing, except for familial affection. Luckily when he was 12 years old where he met Daniel Smythe-Smith, who also has grown up in a comfortable home but with a surplus of familial affection, particularly of the female variety. There are sisters galore and too many cousins to count. Marcus spent every family holiday with the Smythe-Smiths and that includes having to spend time with Honoria (known as Bug because she followed the boys everywhere). His bond to the family was strong, but it was tested when Daniel had to flee the country after being involved in a duel that left another friend badly injured. His last request to Marcus was look after his youngest sister, Honoria, and particularly make sure that she did not fall prey to the marriage machinations of any inappropriate beaus.

Marcus has been doing a good job of running off the men that looked as though they may be becoming interested in Honoria, and doing it so subtly that she has no idea why she can't find a husband and she is, quite frankly, getting a bit desperate. Marcus is not quite your standard aristocratic hero. He may have a reputation for being quite stand offish and a bit humourless, but the reality is that he is a quiet, shy man. Only those who know him really well can see the warm, loyal and funny man who lies beneath the solid exterior.

A trip to the country leads to our main two characters meeting up again, but it is only after an unfortunate incident with a man-made molehill leads to a life and death infection that the two of them see each other as something other than pseudo brother and sister. Even then, the build up between the two is slow, mainly thanks to Honoria finding out what he has been up to and then misinterpreting his interest in her. I loved that Marcus felt compelled to defend her, and that meant that he had to step into the spotlight in order to make his declaration, but I did find the whole bedroom scene that proceeded it a little bit awkward. In some ways, it was almost as though the author had realised that she had forgotten to put one in and therefore had to shoehorn it in there somewhere.

I liked Honoria, especially the parts where she was either by herself or with only a couple of characters. The scenes with all the cousins, and the rehearsals for the musical evening were less enticing because there sounded like there was supposed to be lots of funny dialogue between them all but it just became a bit of white noise in the end.

I liked the way that we got to see why the girls put up with being put on stage year after year even though everyone knows how bad they are as musicians from Honoria's perspective. It's not about music. It's about family, bonding and tradition and you just know that in time her own daughters will be taking the stage and she will be proud as punch for that to happen.

One of the reasons why I love reading series of linked books is because of the recurring characters, and there are quite a few who appear in these pages and to see little moments that we have seen in previous books but from a different perspective! The one recurring character who did steal the show each time she showed up in the book was Lady Danbury! She is one scary older lady, but she would be lots of fun to sit next to and gossip with!

When I read this book last year, I had gone into the city to meet up with some other romance readers. We had visited the local romance specialty shop and I picked this up on a whim. I started it on the train home and had finished it later that day. I also credited this book with starting a romance reading craving that saw me reading a lot of romance in a very short period of time last year.  Here's the thing though. Normally I have memories of the books that I read even after quite some time but not with this one. Couldn't remember a thing. I found myself having to skim through read the book again today to refresh my memory. There are worse ways to spend a couple of hours I guess.

It's not the best Julia Quinn novel, but I think most fans will be happy to read the first of the Smythe-Smith books.

Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is…

But she's managing quite well as a governess to three highborn young ladies. Her job can be a challenge — in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play that might be a tragedy (or might be a comedy—no one is sure), and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.

Daniel Smythe-Smith might be in mortal danger…

But that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her, even if that means spending his days with a ten-year-old who thinks she's a unicorn. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending…

The opening of this book overlaps the closing of the last book. Daniel Smythe-Smith returns home unexpected after three years in exile abroad on the night of the annual Smythe-Smith musical evening. He sneaks into the room and is surprised to find that the woman playing the piano is not a sister or cousin at all but rather a beautiful stranger.

Anne sees an unknown man lurking behind the quartet and freezes in fear, not knowing if this is her past catching up with her or something less sinister. When the stranger tracks her down soon after she finds that it is Daniel Smythe-Smith, prodigal son, and that there is a very intense attraction between them. She is however glad that their interlude is interrupted when Daniel suddenly launches an attack on one of the other guests who is also one of his best friends, Marcus.

Daniel was exiled three years previously after a night of drinking and cards led to an allegation of cheating and then a duel at dawn which left another of his friends, Hugh Prentice, clinging to life and Hugh's father promising to track Daniel down and ensure that he would pay for the damage he had done. Ramsgate was true to his word and had tracked him Daniel down through France, Spain and Italy and so Daniel was used to living constantly looking over his shoulder. He had however been convinced by Hugh  that the danger was over and that he could now return safely.

He begins a flirtation with Anne. The whole time she knows that it is inappropriate and that she could lose her position as governess to Daniel's cousins if she is caught so she tries to resist but finds it increasingly difficult to do so. Daniel constantly manipulates events to try and get time with Anne, whether that means by acting in some of his young cousin Harriet's terrible plays or by inviting the cousins to his country house.

Anne has her own history. She was bought up in a good family but she was disowned when she is seduced by the son of the most important local landowner. Sent off in disgrace, she has moved from one job to another, constantly aware that the son has promised that he will make her pay for the wrong that she did him in self defence.

When Daniel is attacked as he walks home later the night of the musicale he is convinced that Ramsgate was still after him. When both Anne and Daniel are put in danger whilst in country he still thinks that it is him that is putting her into danger but he still can't stay away.

Whilst we are giving Daniel's history up front and that is how it is dealt with by the characters, Anne's story is fed to the reader in a much more measured way, gradually unfolding more and more for the reader until we can more readily understand her skittishness.

I am not really sure where to put this book in terms of my preferred Julia Quinn books. The last few have been up and down quality wise, but when I am in the mood for something light and easy and fun, she is an author who I would instantly think of. They are perfect in the moment books. This book was fun, it was light but I suspect I might need to reread when the next book in the series comes out to refresh my memory, or at the very least reread this post!

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Teaser Tuesday: Lord and Lady Spy by Shana Galen

Sophia Galloway, Lady Smythe has a secret identity. Whilst her husband thinks that she is busy doing whatever it is that ladies do (you know, charities etc) in reality she is Agent Saint, one of the top agents for the super secret spy group known as Barbican.

Adrian Galloway, Lord Smythe has a secret identity. Whilst his wife thinks that he is busy doing whatever it is that gentlemen do (you know, parliament and clubs etc) in reality he is Agent Wolfe, also one of the top agents for the super secret spy group known as Barbican.

If you have seen the movie Mr and Mrs Smith (infamous for being the movie where Brad and Angelina got together) then you will recognise the not necessarily subtle homage that the author has paid in the set up of this book. It is fair to say though that the author hasn't just taken the whole movie and plonked it into a historical setting, but it most certainly was a jumping off point.

With the end of the Napoleonic war, Barbican needs to cut back on the number of spies that it has in action. When both Wolf and Saint are among those that are no longer required they are both mortified. What on earth are they going to be do all day? They certainly don't want to have to spend time with their spouse-in-name-only.

Luckily they are both approached separately to undertake a private investigation. The prize at the end of the investigation? One spot, and one spot only back in the Barbican group. In the process their identities  are revealed to each other. Both are shocked to say the least, but more than anything they both want that spot. They can work together despite their differing tactics and strengths but ultimately they are competitors. What neither expected is that their attraction to each other would be reignited.

I have read a few of Galen's books now, and the results have been hit and miss. In the first couple of books I really liked the heroes, but in the first book in particular, I really didn't like the heroine. In this book, I was glad to see that there was a bit more consistency in the characterisation.

Having said that, there were still issues. Adrian works his way through his cases by using meticulous research, careful planning and tying all the loose ends. Sophia is good with knives, but a terrible shot with a pistol, and is fantastic at what she does mainly because of her unerringly accurate intuition. Every time something is about to happen her nose itches, which is fine as a gimmick, but is it enough to say that her nose itches every time?

One of the other inconsistencies in terms of characterisations for Sophia in particular relates to her history when it comes to pregnancies. She has pushed Adrian away for years because she is so upset about the fact that she has suffered from multiple miscarriages. So far, that might seem like a perfectly logical step, but we are supposed to believe that this incredibly strong woman who doesn't flinch at violence or death, can't be in the same room as a pregnant woman without breaking down. I didn't buy it.

Adrian struggles between respecting the agent Sophia but also wanting to protect his wife Sophia, which I think would be a pretty realistic reaction, at least until he got used to the idea. I loved the scenes where the two of them compared their memories with what actually had been going on as exemplified in this exchange:

“Do you recall the time we were at the opera about two months after we were married? I went to the ladies’ retiring room and was gone about an hour. When I returned, I had blood on my gown. I told you it was jam.”

“Did I believe that?”

“You didn’t question it.”

“And what really happened?”

“An agent from Milan with orders to assassinate me showed up and shot me in the leg. I was in excruciating pain for the rest of La vera costanza.”

“Oh, I remember why I didn’t question the jam. I’d just returned from Strasbourg where I’d had some sort of chemical thrown in my face. It burned my eyes, and I couldn’t see a thing for a fortnight.”

My intro to the teaser I wanted to share has turned basically into a review! Whoops!

Every now and again you read a phrase that makes you sit up and think. In this case it was thinking along the lines that I have read a lot of romance novels over the years but I don't think I have ever seen this particular phrase used before.

Warning....this is from a very intimate moment and reflects their new understanding of each other's identities and their changing opinions:

"Come for me," he murmured. "I want to feel you. See you." He held his breath for a moment. They'd made love a dozen times and never been so intimate. Faces always turned away. Cries stifled. Climaxing politely.

No, I wasn't talking about the come for me line...the ability to climax on demands seems to be an inherent requirement for a romance heroine. Rather, that final phrase - climaxing politely - really caught my attention and seems to very succinctly refer to the sexual act within a marriage of convenience that is the basis of so many historical romances!

According to the author's website, there is going to be another book that is going to be connected to this one and it will be called True Spies. I am pretty sure we can tell from that title and the fact that we are talking about spy novels which movie has provided the inspiration for that book!





Synopsis

No man can outsmart him...

Lord Adrian Smythe may appear a perfectly boring gentleman, but he leads a thrilling life as one of England's most preeminent spies, an identity so clandestine even his wife is unaware of it. But he isn't the only one with secrets...

She's been outsmarting him for years...

Now that the Napoleonic wars have come to an end, daring secret agent Lady Sophia Smythe can hardly bear the thought of returning home to her tedious husband. Until she discovers in the dark of night that he's not who she thinks he is after all...

A Rogue by any Other Name by Sarah Maclean

Last year I discovered the writing of Sarah MacLean. I read her first trilogy in quick succession, and when I heard that this book was on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to get to read this one. This means that the only book I haven't read of hers is The Season, her YA novel. Give me time though because I will get to it!

This book is the beginning of a new series for MacLean, although it is slightly connected to the original trilogy because the heroine of this book was engaged to the Duke of Leighton who was the hero in one of the previous books. It is only a slight connection, but it is something that I like to be aware of when I read connected books.

Whilst the Marquess of Bourne should be a member of the higher echelons of the ton, he isn't. Ten years ago he lost everything that was precious to him in a game of cards. The only things that he had left were a coin in his pocket, the title and the entailed land that came with it. Ever since, he has plotted revenge on the man who wrecked his life and took his ancestral home, Falconwell.

That man, who happens to be the father of his childhood friend Tommy, has now passed Falconwell on to another childhood friend's father, who in turn has added it to the dowry for his daughter, Lady Penelope Marbury, a young lady who was formerly engaged but has since been left on the shelf. Whilst Penelope is holding out for adventure and love, her parents are determined that she should be married sooner rather than later.

The first clue that Penelope has of what is going to happen is when her friend Tommy proposes to her. When she asks him why now his answer is rather enigmatically to protect her. Penelope has no clue what this means

Bourne is a man who has been running a gambling hell for the last ten years. His desire for revenge and his chosen line of work has served to make him somewhat hard emotionally, to the point that no one other than his partners know him at all, and even they don't often refer to him by name. They do however take the opportunity to point out exactly what he is doing wrong in his relationship and tease him mercilessly!

A chance encounter at night leads to a rapid engagement and marriage between Bourne and Penelope, but not before she manages to wrest a promise from him - in order to provide her younger sisters with suitable husbands (which means being introduced into society properly), Bourne must again return to society.

Bourne wants to protect her from his wickedness so he tries to stay away from Penelope, but struggles to do so, and Penelope tries to find Michael, the boy who used to be one of her best friends hidden inside the shell of the man that is left behind.

One of the best thing in this book is the series of letters that are in the book. In them Penelope writes to her friend Michael firstly while they are young, then when he goes to university. Initially, she gets responses, but after his scandal breaks the responses diminish until it is a one sided conversation.

When Bourne gets the chance to get his revenge once and for all, there will be collateral damage. The question is how far is he willing to go to get his revenge and what will the cost be for him.

I really enjoyed the set up for this series, and I can't wait to read the next book.

Rating 4/5

A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.

Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them . . . even her heart

Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish by Grace Burrowes

All she wants is peace and anonymity...


Lady Sophie Windham has maneuvered a few days to herself at the ducal mansion in London before she must join her family for Christmas in Kent. Suddenly trapped by a London snowstorm, she finds herself with an abandoned baby, and only the assistance of a kind, handsome stranger standing between her and complete disaster...


But Sophie's holiday is about to heat up...


With his estate in ruins, Vim Charpentier sees little to feel festive about this Christmas. His growing attraction for Sophie Windham is the only thing that warms his - but when Sophie's brothers whisk her away, Vim's most painful holiday memories are reawakened.


It seems Sophie's been keeping secrets, and now it will take much more than a mistletoe kiss to make her deepest wishes come true.

There are a couple of things that you need to know if you are even thinking about reading this book.

The first is that if you don't like reading about babies in your romances, then this is not the book for you. The young boy, Kit, gets a lot of air time in the pages of this book - a LOT of page time. There were also times when I wasn't sure that his age was consistent with the developmental milestones that were talked about.

The second thing to be aware of is that even though this book is being released before the third book in the Duke's Obsession series which is Valentine's story, chronologically it is set after that book. Goodness only knows what the thinking was there, especially seeing as this book and The Virtuoso are now being released so closely together.

So with those two big provisos out of the way, let's talk about the actual book.

Lady Sophie Windham is one of eight children - five of them daughters. She is the sensible one, the one that her parents don't really need to worry about, the one who has been left on the shelf and is likely to stay there.

When all of her family retire to their country estate for the Christmas holidays, Sophie manufactures an excuse that will enable her to get some much needed alone time in the ducal mansion in London. She just has one small task to perform first. One of the servant girls has got herself into trouble and so Sophie is packing the girl and her baby off to their family, or at least that is what she thinks is going to do. Instead, the girl does a runner, literally leaving Sophie holding the baby.

Being the well bred, aristocratic lady that she is, Sophie has absolutely no clue what to do with a baby. Whilst at the coach station waiting in vain for the mother of the baby to return (she had just left Sophie with the baby for a "few minutes") she catches the attention of Vim Charpentier who offers to assist her. He not only does have some experience with babies (because of his younger siblings, not because he has children of his own), but with the onset of a blizzard he knows that he cannot leave Sophie to deal with both the child and the elements. And that suits him just fine, because he is in no hurry to return to his family home where his elderly uncle is waiting for his heir to show up and actually show some interest in the title and property that he is going to eventually inherit.

For reasons known only to themselves, both Sophie and Vim neglect to tell the other exactly who they are and what their social standing is. Housebound due to the blizzard, the attraction between them grows and Vim instructs Sophie in the skills required to care for a small child. Every night Vim tells Sophie that he is leaving the next day but always ends up back with her again.

In the meantime Sophie's three brothers, who have featured in the other three books in the linked series, have been instructed by their parents to head to London to find out exactly what is stopping Sophie from heading to the country as was expected. I loved reading the scenes featuring the brothers - the jokes, the camaraderie, the glimpses into their lives after their own book has been finalised.

I also really enjoyed reading about Vim. For most of the book he seems like a decent bloke  - no alpha male here - who sees his attraction to Sophie and tries to do the right thing by her all the way through. I did find the big embarrassment that kept him from wanting to claim his inheritance a little too flimsy really, but I could totally imagine the duke mortifying Vim each time they crossed path. That duke is imperious and demanding, but he does seem to have quite a cheeky sense of humour at times.

It probably should be noted that if you are a stickler for historical accuracy or for ensuring that the characters behave exactly as per the social rules of the day, if you expect a Duke to react quite differently when he finds out exactly what has been going on, then, again, Grace Burrowes is probably not the author for you. Her characters are quite modern, the behaviour is somewhat fluid, the family a little too laid back about morals for this to stand up to that kind of expectation.

What Burrowes does have is a style of writing that is compelling in its gracefulness, in the tempo of the book and in the absolutely readability of the text. There is no one else that I am reading in historical romance at the moment that has that kind of mellow tempo and fluidity that Grace Burrowes has in her books whilst still having sizzling chemistry between the characters. Despite the flaws that I have touched on here I thoroughly enjoyed both this book and the other three books that I have read about the Windham siblings. Bring on the next one!

Rating 4/5

Love by Numbers series by Sarah MacLean

One thing that I am sometimes a little guilty of when it comes to romance is reading the same authors over and over so this year I have been trying to read a few more of the authors I have heard good things about but not yet tried. Sarah Maclean was one of those authors.

First thing though....are these just about the longest titles for romances? I get the gimmick but didn't think that the titles rolled off the tongue too well and are too difficult to remember when you are trying to talk to others about them. I also thought that by the end of the last book it had been overused a little bit by the time we go through Callie's list and Juliana's scandals amongst others.

If you are looking for something highly original in historical romance, then these books are probably not the best place to look. There are numerous tropes that abound throughout the books - arrogant dukes, wallflowers, to do lists are just some of them - but the thing about this series is that the tropes and cliches are done well, and therefore this reader is prepared to keep reading! If you start seeing the tropes and cliches and they are not written well, then that is when you lose readers.

The covers are pretty standard in terms of romance covers too, but I have to say I really didn't like the cover to the last book in the trilogy. It took me at least a couple of attempts to figure out the dress because the pink sash just looked not quite right.

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

When you are a wallflower, you really have two options. Most accept their status as fate, but Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has decided that she has followed society's rules for far too long and she is therefore going to have some fun. She creates a list of things she would like to do. Smoke a cheroot, fence, gamble are all on the list, as is engage in a passionate kiss.

Callie has long been in love with Gabriel St John so she chooses him to help her achieve her goals. St John, Marquess of Ralston has needs of his own. His family name has long been tainted with scandal, most especially because his mother abandoned her family years before. Now, the half  Italian sister he didn't know he had has turned up on his doorstep and he needs someone to show her the ropes so that she can be introduced to society. He therefore proposes a trade - Callie gets her passionate kiss, he gets someone to teach his sister all that she needs to know about the ton.

Ralston finds himself drawn into Callie's adventures albeit after being initially mindful that he doesn't find his family linked to yet more scandal. More and more though he finds himself drawn to Callie herself even though he has long believed that he should not fall in love.

Funny, warm and romantic, I was glad that I already knew that there were two more books ready to be read!

Rating 4.5/5

“Lord Nicholas is a paragon of manhood.
And his eyes, Dear Reader! So blue!”

Pearls & Pelisses, June 1823

Since being named “London’s Lord to Land” by a popular ladies’ magazine, Nicholas St. John has been relentlessly pursued by every matrimony-minded female in the ton. So when an opportunity to escape fashionable society presents itself, he eagerly jumps—only to land in the path of the most determined, damnably delicious woman he’s ever met!

The daughter of a titled wastrel, Lady Isabel Townsend has too many secrets and too little money. Though she is used to taking care of herself quite handily, her father’s recent passing has left Isabel at sea and in need of outside help to protect her young brother’s birthright. The sinfully handsome, eminently eligible Lord Nicholas could be the very salvation she seeks.

The name Nicholas St. John is on the list of every mother in the ton who has a daughter to be married off. Never mind that the Ralston family has a few scandalous secrets in it's past. Nick has a heroic reputation after his war service, is twin brother to a marquess, he is knowledgeable when it comes to antiques and he has an innate ability to find lost objects.

When Simon Pearson, the Duke of Leighton, asks Nicholas St. John to find his wayward sister Georgiana,  he jumps at the chance to escape from the unwanted attention of the ton. Nicholas tracks the girl to the home of Lady Isabel Townsend. To say that Isabel is distrustful of men is an understatement. The book opens with Isabel turning away yet another man who says her wastrel father sold her to him as a bride. Soon after however, we learn that Isabel's father has died, leaving an eight year old boy as his heir. The estate is falling apart, there is no money for repairs and Isabel has a houseful of people that she feels very responsible for.

She decides to sell of some of the collection of antiques to raise some cash and Nicholas agrees to value her statues (and yes, that might be a euphemism). He knows that there is something not quite right but he can't quite figure out what. Isabel is desperately trying to protect the secrets of Townsend Park and the inhabitants, protect her brother's title but she can't protect herself from loving Nicholas.

Rating 4/5

She lives for passion.

Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips . . . and precisely the kind of woman The Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.

He swears by reputation.

Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening—risking everything he holds dear—he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety. She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.

If you were to draw a picture of what a young lady of the ton should be, you wouldn't end up with a picture of Juliana Fiori! No simpering miss here. Juliana is beautiful, she is outspoken, she is unconventional, her parentage is questionable - in short she is scandalous. And things get even worse for her when her runaway mother returns much to the derision of society.

Simon, Duke of Leighton is doing everything he can to avoid scandal. There is enough hidden scandal in his family, and he really needs to get married to someone beyond reproach before his secret gets out, so why is it that he is drawn to Juliana like a moth to a flame. Even becoming engaged to the perfect ton girl is not enough to stop him from being attracted to Juliana.

Leighton is your quintessential cold fish duke, a man who believes that he doesn't need passion in his life. He does everything he can to ensure that his life is ordered, so when scandal touches his own family he is really unsure of how he should deal with it. This leads him to make decisions that I as a modern reader found difficult to fathom, particularly in relation to his sister. We see glimpses of the man underneath the ducal veneer but it is really only once this situation is somewhat resolved that this reader sees that it is possible for him to be the man that Juliana has seen him to be.

In terms of Juliana, she just can't seem to help herself from landing in trouble, whether it be ending up in a duke's coach at the end of a party, falling into a lake in Hyde Park...falling in love with a man who is engaged to another. Simon gives Juliana two weeks to try and prove to him that you can't live life without passion, but maybe it is Juliana who will learn that passion can often lead to love.

Rating 4/5

I now count myself as a fan of Sarah Maclean and can't wait to see what her next book brings. A Rogue by any Other Name is due out next February and I was really pleased to see that Penelope gets her turn to star in the next book! I am hoping that Georgiana will get her story in due course.

Sunday Salon: Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer

Rank, wealth and elegance are no match for a young lady who writes novels...


Sylvester, Duke of Salford, has exacting requirements for a bride. Then he encounters Phoebe Marlow, a young lady with literary aspirations, and suddenly life becomes very complicated. She meets none of his criteria, and even worse, she has written a novel that is sweeping through the ton and causing all kinds of gossip ... and he's the main character.

When a young woman feels slighted by a member of the ton, what else is she do but write an anonymously authored novel about how terrible he is - pompous, arrogant and dictatorial when it comes to the welfare of his young ward. She makes a thinly veiled attempt to hide the identity of the main characters - Sylvester, Duke of Salford.

Sylvester can be a bit pompous and aloof, always aware of his duty to his role and his family and particularly aware of his role as guardian of his young nephew. When he decides that he needs to find a wife, he is not looking for love and passion. He is looking for suitability more than anything, so he makes a list of the eligible females in the ton. Running the list of names past his mother, she suggests that he speaks to his godmother, who in turn adds one more name - that of her granddaughter Phoebe Marlow.

Phoebe lives with her father and her very overbearing stepmother who thinks that she is too spirited and must be tamed. When Phoebe hears that her father is bringing Sylvester home with a view to matrimony she panics. Her stepmother insists that she will behave properly and so the Phoebe that Sylvester finds is a somewhat insipid disappointment and he is determined that he will leave as soon as he possible can. However, Phoebe is  even more determined, and with the help of her childhood friend Tom she decides to escape to her grandmother's house in London.

What follows is a series of adventures that starts with an accident that leaves Tom with a broken leg, Sylvester being snowed in at the same inn as Tom and Phoebe, and ends with Tom and Phoebe being kidnapped by Sylvester's ditsy sister in law and her new husband on a ill thought out escape to France.

Along the way, Phoebe proves to Sylvester over and over that she is anything but the insipid miss he thought she was. She is always willing to point out his faults to him but he finds himself becoming more and more intrigued by her. That is until he figures out that she is the author of the book that has the ton abuzz!

I liked Sylvester a lot! Yes, he was pomp and arrogant but I am not sure what else to expect when you have been bought up to be a duke. We did however get to see his devotion to family, and quite often he didn't realise his own faults. He didn't like having them pointed out to him, but then again, who does.

Phoebe was a harder character to pin down for me. I don't think I ever really got why it was that Phoebe felt so strongly about Sylvester that she could target him in her book. She also was quite impetuous which led her to bring both herself and her family into situations that otherwise could have been avoided.

The path to true love never runs smooth, misunderstandings abound and there were times where I wondered if our hero and heroine were ever going to realise their feelings and act upon them. Ably assisted by a vibrant set of secondary characters including Tom and Phoebe's grandmother, the reader is taken from one adventure to the next. Little do our main characters realise it is the adventure of love!

Rating 4.5/5

Thanks to Sourcebooks for the review copy.