Arsenic with Austen: A Mystery by Katherine Bolger Hyde

When Emily Cavanaugh inherits a fortune from her great-aunt, she expects her life to change. She doesn't expect to embark on a murder investigation, confront the man who broke her heart 35 years before, and nearly lose her own life.

Emily travels to the sleepy coastal village of Stony Beach, Oregon, to claim her inheritance, centered on a beautiful Victorian estate called Windy Corner but also including a substantial portion of the real estate of the whole town. As she gets to know the town's eccentric inhabitants - including her own once-and-possibly-future love, Sheriff Luke Richards - she learns of a covert plan to develop Stony Beach into a major resort. She also hears hints that her aunt may have been murdered. Soon another suspicious death confirms this, and before long Emily herself experiences a near-fatal accident.

 
Meanwhile Emily reads Persuasion, hoping to find belated happiness with her first love, as Anne Elliot did with Captain Wentworth. She notices a similarity between her not-quite-cousin, Brock Runcible, heir to a smaller portion of her aunt's property, and Mr. Elliot in Persuasion, and her suspicions of Brock crystallize. But as she and Luke continue to investigate and events speed toward a climax, Emily realizes that underneath the innocent-looking rocks of Stony Beach lurk festering jealousies that would have shocked even the worst of Jane Austen's charming reprobates.
 
Series: The Crime with the Classics # 1| Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.| Narrator: Caroline Shaffer | Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins | Genre: Contemporary Cozy | Source: Publisher | Ratings: 3.5 Cups
  

 

I’m always looking for a new cozy mystery series and when I received the second book in the series, Bloodstains with Bronte, for review, I immediately picked up the first book on audio. While I liked most of it, I’m a bit on the fence about some things.

 

Emily’s a bit hard to take. She’s snobbish, judgmental, and—for a woman in her fifties—she’s occasionally immature. Yet, at times—even though they were rare—I found her to be likable.

 

Luke, the sheriff, wasn’t exactly on the top of his game when it came to his job. Several times, I found myself questioning his practices and procedures. I seriously wondered how he became sheriff. However, I did like Luke the man, he was just a good guy.

 

The mystery was actually solid although I did figure it out fairly early on. Still there were a few red herrings thrown in that made me question my choice.

 

So, the romance aspect was interesting—it’s a second chance romance for Luke and Emily. The attraction and old feelings are still there but Emily spent so much time trying to distance herself from Luke while carrying on lengthy internal ramblings about how she still loved/longed for him that it became annoying. On more than one occasion, I found myself wanting to shout at her to just tell him how she was feeling.

 

I really enjoyed how this one mirrored the actions of characters from Persuasion. I liked combination of a cozy and a classic and it was fun hunting for the Easter eggs. There were also a few nods to Agatha Christie and Harry Potter.

 

I had more than a few problems with this one but the ones that really stood out to me were the following. Emily referred to an overweight character as a ‘marshmallow’ and ‘memory foam’. I thought it was a bit distasteful. Then there was the town doctor who knew the cause of her aunt’s death and swept it under the rug so she would get the money that was left to her in the will. And rather than doing anything about it once she found out, Emily decided to keep it to herself. There was also the fact that Emily more or less threw a tantrum over the stupidest things.

 

I wasn’t a fan of Caroline Shaffer’s narration. She just couldn’t keep my attention and I’m wondering if her overly snobbish portrayal of Emily is made me dislike Emily.

 

Overall, this one had its share of problems—I’m hoping that’s due to the fact it’s the first book in a series and the author was trying to find her footing. There were a few pacing problems and some scenes just felt a bit odd but I still found aspects of this one to be interesting. We shall see what the next book holds.

 

 

Do you struggle with narrators?  

Waiting on Wednesday #69: A Perilous Passion by Elizabeth Keysian

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Release Date: December 11, 2017

Why it’s my WoW: First off, the cover practically screams ‘read me’. Then there’s the small fact that I love anything spy related. And last but not least, I have a feeling Charlotte and the Earl of Beckport are in for some interesting times.

Miss Charlotte Allston is unwittingly ensnared in a sinister web of traitors and spies when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome stranger on the beach. Fiercely determined to redeem his honor after a humiliating military defeat, the Earl of Beckport is living incognito, hunting a band of smugglers at the center of a French plot to invade England.

The enigmatic Miss Allston instantly becomes a person of interest to the earl...and not just in the smuggling case. Passion flares swift and hot between the two. But when her attempts to help with his secret mission only endanger it, he must question where her loyalty truly lies.

Stunned by the sudden revelation that the woman he is falling for is the daughter of a notorious smuggler, Beckport feels duty-bound to report her. But then Charlotte is captured by the very traitor he's after, forcing the earl to decide between redemption...and love.

 

 

 

What are you lovelies waiting on?

 

 

   

A Baby for Christmas by Joan Kilby

When Mia Tempesta goes into labor during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve, she stumbles into Will Jackson’s cherry packing shed. As a war widow, she’s lost everything–her husband, her home, and her job. But when Will, a caring stranger, delivers her beautiful baby boy into her arms, she has hope for a brighter future.

After being betrayed and dumped by his long-time girlfriend, Will’s dreading the holidays, but when he helps deliver Mia’s son on Christmas morning, he gains a renewed purpose in life. The beautiful Mia and her child tug on his protective heart strings and he finds himself longing to help. They fight their growing attraction–Will’s on the rebound and Mia is still grieving. Will their reckless passion end in heartbreak?

Can two damaged hearts find healing and happiness? One Christmas baby might just be the miracle they need to love again.

 

Series: Sweet Home Montana Book 2 | Publisher: Tule | Genre: Contemporary Christmas Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 2.5 Cups

This was one cute and sweet but also annoying and totally made me all growly—Christmas books should not make me growly.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Not only is Mia trapped in a snowstorm, she’s in labor. Taking shelter in a cherry packing shed, she soon receives help from Will Jackson, who delivers her baby. After being dumped by his girlfriend, Will was prepared to have a blue Christmas but Mia and her newborn son puts his life back on track. As the weeks pass, they soon discover their connection goes deeper than just gratitude but they’re both carrying around past wounds that could end their relationship before it starts.

 

Okay, so I liked this one to a point. It had a cute premise and potential but I feel like the potential was buried under too much internal drama from the characters.

 

Mia has some things she has to sort out. She’s just given birth, she’s dealing with her husband’s death and his gambling problems, she’s also dealing with his controlling parents. Will’s struggling to figure why his high school girlfriend left him for another guy just days before he was going to propose, he’s also trying to figure out what he wants in life.

 

The relationship just sort of annoyed me. Both are mad about the other but they are too stubborn to sit down and talk to each other and explain what’s going on. Instead of clearing the air, Mia decides that she’s just going to use Will as a bed buddy then, more or less, treat him poorly when in public. I’m not a fan of thing angle, it just feels slimy to me.

 

Then there’s the fact that Mia lets her ex-in-laws to walk all over her. She goes on and on about their treatment of her in her head but refuses to say anything to their face. I just have a hard time getting behind timid heroines.

 

Overall, it had its cute and sweet moments but there was just too much drama and poor decisions that made this one just an okay read rather than a great one. 

 

2017 Christmas Reads

 

 

 

   

Tea with Milk and Murder by H.Y. Hanna

While at an Oxford cocktail party, tearoom owner Gemma Rose overhears a sinister conversation minutes before a University student is fatally poisoned. Could there be a connection? And could her best friend Cassie's new boyfriend have anything to do with the murder? Gemma decides to start her own investigation, helped by the nosy ladies from her Oxfordshire village and her old college flame, CID detective Devlin O'Connor.
 

But her mother is causing havoc at Gemma's quaint English tearoom and her best friend is furious at her snooping...and this mystery is turning out to have more twists than a chocolate pretzel! Too late, Gemma realizes that she could be the next item on the killer's menu. Or will her little tabby cat, Muesli, save the day?

Series: Oxford Tearoom Mysteries # 2 | Publisher: H.Y. Hanna | Narrator: Pearl Hewitt | Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins | Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery | Source: Publisher | Ratings: 4.5 Cups

Challenges Read For: Blogger Shame

So, yeah, this one was a blogger shame. *hangs head* I received the audiobook for review then completely forgot to download it to my Kindle. I found it when I was going through my audiobook library and it was just the right cozy mystery that I needed.

 

This is such a great cozy mystery series and I’m having such a good time reading through it.

 

In this one, we have a death by poison—very Agatha Christie—that occurs during her best friend’s gallery show. Now Gemma’s left wondering if Cassie’s new boyfriend is the murderer. As the investigation heats up and another person is poisoned, Gemma becomes the prime target.

 

Gemma is such a fun character. She left the corporate world behind, moved back to her hometown, opened a tearoom, and now finds herself acting as amateur sleuth. But she isn’t in it alone, there’s an entire cast of secondary characters, including a charming yet quirky cat, that we finally get to know more about them and I really enjoyed that.

 

Like most cozy mysteries, there’s a love triangle developing. I’m not entirely thrilled about this, I think that the romance angle should focus more on the second chance romance between Gemma and Devlin. While I’m not a fan of the love triangle, it was expected and it wasn’t overly trying on my nerves.

 

The mystery was pleasing. I do like a good death by poisoning mystery because it makes the where, when, and by whom a bit more challenging to nail down and I wasn’t disappointed. I had a short list of suspects and, when the killer was revealed, the clues made sense and I was proved right.

 

So some of the scenes felt a little—I don’t want to say odd—but perhaps forced. Obviously, it was necessary to have Gemma in certain spots as she’s investigating but a smoother approach would have been nice.

 

I enjoyed Pearl Hewitt as the narrator but I still feel that she portrays Gemma older than she is.

 

Overall, I had such a great time with this one. The mystery was solid and I really enjoyed getting to know more about the characters.   



 

 

Oxford Tearoom Mystery Series

All-Butter ShortDead 0.5

A Scone to Die For #1 

Tea with Milk and Murder #2 

Two Down, Bun to Go #3 

Till Death Do Us Tart  #4 

Muffins and Mourning Tea  #5 

Four Puddings and a Funeral  #6 

Another One Bites the Crust  #7  

 

 

   

Hope at Christmas by Nancy Naigle

Sydney Ragsdale is divorced, but her husband is still calling the shots. In an attempt to shake free from his hold, she and her daughter, Ray Anne, head for tiny Hopewell, NC to the only asset her ex has no control over – a decaying farmhouse that once belonged to her grandparents. She finds solace at The Book Bea, the bookstore she’d loved as a child during her summer stays.

Kevin MacAlea, Mac to his friends, is the local high school history teacher and baseball coach. Father of a twelve-year-old son, he’s Hopewell, North Carolina’s most sought after bachelor. His young bride abandoned him and his son just before Christmas and has never come back. It has left his son bitter about Christmas which is hard for Mac who loves the magic of the season. He’s been the Santa here in Hopewell since the year Seth was born.

But when a catastrophe forces The Book Bea to close before the end of the year, everyone in the small town is feeling the loss. While Sydney is already off-balance by the bad news, her ex-husband breaks a promise to their daughter that sends Ray Anne running away. As Sydney tries to figure out what her next steps are she discovers all of the answers are right here in Hopewell.

 

Series: | Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin | Genre:  Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher| Rating: 3.5 Cups 

Love, laughter, and Christmas spirit abound in Hope at Christmas.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Recently divorced, Sydney is trying to find her footing in her grandparent’s hometown. It’s not been easy, especially knowing that her young daughter isn’t happy, but she’s making it work. When she reconnects with the owner of the Book Bea, she soon discovers it’s the residents that make this small town special. And one resident. Mac, has caught her eye.

 

Mac’s a single father with a secret. He’s the town Santa. The only problem is, he can’t seem to get his son into the Christmas spirit. Although when Sydney and her daughter enter into their life, both father and son seem to find themselves spreading Christmas cheer.

 

Mac and Sydney have both been hurt. His wife left him and his son several Christmas’s before and Sydney’s husband decided to trade her in for a younger model. They’ve both hurt, they’re both dealing with their children who have been hurt, and they all need a bit of healing.

 

So, the romance was rather slow-burn and I was okay with that. They both were cautious and had some things work through and they both had their children to consider.

 

What I really enjoyed about this one was the small town charm. It was heartwarming to see how Bea welcomed Sydney and her daughter into her store and her life.

 

I did struggle with a few things. Some of the drama felt like it was just added in to cause a bit of action on the page and a few of the actions of the characters felt like they were out of place yet the novel worked as a whole.

 

Overall, this one gave me all the warm and fuzzies that Christmas romances should. I’m eager to read more from Nancy Naigle.

DIY No-Sew Fabric Covered Journal/Planner

I’ve been using Pen+Gear’s Lay Flat Journal that I found at Wal-Mart for my planner for about a year now. It’s a little smaller than the planners that I’ve used in the past but, for some reason, the smaller size works better for me. One of things that drew me to this journal was the fact it lays flay. I also liked that the pages aren’t white but a nice light craft-paper brown and they’re acid-free, which is a plus for me since I use it as a sort of scrapbook/memory keeper and not just a standard planner

Sadly, I reached the last page and had to get a new one. I ordered one on-line thinking I was going to get the cute little gold dot cover that I had before. Unfortunately, this one had a horrid looking hot pink cover that was so loud it was practically screaming. Yeah, that wasn’t going to work. So, I browsed around and ended up ordering a dot journal from Etsy. It was cute but the dot/grid paper just really isn’t my style and I just couldn’t get into planning my layouts in it.

So, I decided to get creative and transform my screaming hot pink journal into something more me.

 

Supplies Needed

Pen+Gear Lay Flat Journal

Heat ‘n Bond Ultrahold iron-on adhesive

Fat Quarter of Fabric (I used Creative Cuts in pattern PCQ Words Onyx)

Superglue (I used the gel type because it doesn’t run or leak through the fabric/paper)

Stick glue ( I used Sticky Thumb because it offers a two-way bond)

Iron

Method

1—Gently remove the front and back covers from the journal’s binding tape then remove the decorative covers from both covers. Both covers should be blank pieces of cardboard.

2—Iron fabric and cut two panels leaving about an1 inch of fabric around the covers.

3—Cut out two pieces of iron-on adhesive the same size as the fabric panels. Iron adhesive to the back of the fabric per adhesive package instructions. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. 

4—Iron fabric on to the correct sides of the covers per adhesive package instructions. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes.

5—Flip covers over and iron down the remaining fabric to the back of the covers creating neat tucked in edges. Allow to cool 3-5 minutes.

6—Lift up the edge of the binding tape, run a line of superglue on down the back and attach to the page beneath it. Then add lines of superglue along the perimeter of the journal including on the binding tape. Apply stick glue in the middle of the page. Then carefully place on the fabric-covered cover and press down. Allow to dry for 5-10 minutes.

7—Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining cover and allow to dry overnight.

Cost of project under $10.

Supplies: What they are and where I bought them.

Pen+Gear’s Lay Flat Journal: Available at Wal-Mart of Wal-Mart.com for under $5.

Fat Quarters: are taken from one yard of fabric,cut in half lengthwise, and then in half width-wise and are approximately 18" x 22". I bought mine from Wal-Mart for 97cents. You can also find them on Amazon, Etsy, or your local fabric/craft shop.

Heat ‘n Bond Ultrahold Iron-on Adhesive: I had this left over from a Renaissance outfit I’m working on and I probably pick it up at Wal-Mart or my local craft store. It’s available in most stores that have a craft department and runs under $3. Because the fabric is being attached to cardboard, it’s important to use the Ultrahold that comes in the red package because it’s a fixed bond.

Sticky Thumb 2-Way Glue Pen: I bought this during the Summer for a foil project and ended up liking the way the glue pen worked and the fact it can be used on just about any surface. It has a wide tip and a 2-way bond: permanent with wet/white or repositionable when sticky/clear. The tip is also reversible, which is another plus. I purchased it at Pat Catan’s for around $5.

      What type of planner do you use? 

         

HoHoHo Readathon Goal and Progress Post

The HoHoHo Readathon hosted by Kimberly @ The Caffeinated Reviewer kicks off today and I’m super excited to be joining in on the fun! It’s runs until November 15^th and it’s a fun way to binge read holiday/wintery reads, meet new blogger/bookish people, participate in challenges, and win prizes. Sounds lovely, right?!

 

I have a pot of hot tea sitting on the stand and stack of books at the ready. I’m hoping to finish at least four full-length books and a few e-novella. We shall see how it goes.

 

I’ll be posting my progress on here as well as on my Instagram account, @simplyangelarenee, so feel free to stop by there as well. 

 

My Progress:

 

 

Good luck and happy reading, if you’re joining in on the challenge!

 

 

   

A Fatal Collection by Mary Ellen Hughes

Callie Reed makes a long overdue visit to her aunt Melodie, who lives in a fairy-tale cottage in quaint Keepsake Cove, home to a bevy of unique collectible shops on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Just as they're beginning to reconnect, Callie discovers her aunt's body on the floor of her music box shop. Grief-stricken, Callie finds she can't accept Melodie's death being called accidental. How could her strong and healthy aunt take such a fatal fall? And why was she there in the middle of the night?

 

As Callie searches for the truth, signs seem to come from her late aunt through a favorite music box, urging Callie on. Or are they warnings? If Callie isn't careful, she could meet a similar deadly fate amid Melodie's collection.

 

Series: Keepsake Cove Mystery #1| Publisher: Midnight Ink | Release Date: 11/7/2017 | Genre: Cozy Mystery | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5 Cups

 

I have a feeling this series is going to be one of my favorites. It’s cozy, friendly, charming, and quirky with unique characters and a fictional town I would love to visit.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Needing to clear her head, Callie Reed decides it’s time to reconnect with her aunt Melodie. Although their reunion is cut short when Callie discovers her aunt dead on the floor of her music box shop. Callie’s left wondering if her aunt’s death was truly accidental and now that she’s inherited her aunt’s shop and cottage, she’s able to search for the answers while getting acquainted with her new neighbors.

 

What drew me to this book was how unique the setting was. Not only was it different, I just loved the idea of a town full of unique collectable shops and it reminds me of a little town I like to visit that’s street after street of antique and collectable shops.

 

As this is the start of a new series, the first half of the book focuses on setting up the town and the characters with the mystery in the background but, thankfully, it didn’t drag and it held my attention.

 

I really liked Callie. She has some stuff going on in her life that she’s working through then she’s hit with the death of her aunt. Now she has her hands full trying to run a music box shop, figuring out who murdered her aunt, and getting to know a potential love interest.

 

So, I had a feeling who the murderer was then I started to question my guess and I love a mystery that allows me to do that.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It had all the right elements that pulled me in and hooked me.

Must Love Kilts: A Time Travel Romance by Angela Quarles

A drunken bet....

When computer game designer Traci Campbell gets too close and personal with a bottle of Glenfiddich while vacationing in Scotland, she whisks her kilt-obsessed sister back to 1689 to prove hot guys in kilts are a myth. Hello, hundred bucks! But all bets are off when she meets Iain, the charming playboy in a to-die-for kilt.

Wrong place, wrong time, wrong name....

Iain MacCowan regularly falls in love at the drop of his kilt. The mysterious red-haired lass with the odd accent is no different. But when his new love is discovered to be a Campbell, the most distrusted name in the Highlands, his dalliance endangers his clan's rebellion against King William.

It's all hijinks in the Highlands until your sister disappears....

Traci thinks men are only good for one thing - thank you, Iain! - but when she awakens once again in Ye Olde Scotland and her sister is gone, she must depend on the last person she wants to spend more time with. He wants to win a heart, she wants to keep hers, but can these two realize they're meant for each other before the Jacobite rebellion pulls them apart?

 

Series: Must Love Series # 3| Publisher: | Narrator: Mary Jane Wells | Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins | Genre: Time Travel Romance | Source: Author | Ratings: 4 Cups 

A spunky game designer and an eighteenth-century Highlander? Oh, yes, please!! And thank you very much!

 

I am seriously loving this series! If you’ve finished the Outlander books or if you’re not able to watch series 3, then I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of this to get you through Droughtlander.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Blame it on the empty bottle of Glenfiddich. After a night getting acquainted with one of Scotland’s finest spirits, Traci is determined to prove to her sister that hot guys in kilts is just a myth so, thanks to the help of the magical calling card case, they travel back to 1689 Scotland. But there’s only one problem, Traci finds herself enamored with a sexy Highlander named Iain. And things go from bad to worse when she not only discovers that she somehow married the man but she’s also lost her sister somewhere along the way. Now not only does she have to prove that she’s not a spy for Clan Campbell, she has to try to ignore her feelings for Iain while searching for her sister.

 

This one was really fun. Hailing from Clan Campbell myself, I always enjoy when one of the characters is a Campbell.

 

I liked Traci. Having been dragged to every Highland Game around by her parents, it’s sort of gotten old to her and made her lose interest in all things Scottish. So when she has a chance to prove to her sister how wrong she is about the whole hunky-highlander-in-a-kilt thing, she jumps at the chance not realizing that her world’s about to be turned upside down.

 

I felt a bit bad for Iain. From boyhood he’s been treated like he was daft and he’s grown to believe that he’ll screw up whatever he sets his mind to doing. So he’s lacking confidence yet at the same time he wants to try to prove himself. There’s also this natural born leader quality to him that he’s ignored for so long he doesn’t believe he possesses it. Most of the time, I found myself rooting for Iain but there a few times I wanted to shake some sense into him.

 

The romance was interesting. There was attraction and sparks but they both had their reasons for fighting it and eventually they figured things out. But it did get a bit iffy from time to time.

 

There is a bit of alternate history in this one and, given that this is a time travel romance and the fabric of time has shifted a bit due to time travel, I was okay with it. It felt natural rather than something that came out of left field.

 

Overall, another great addition to a brilliant series. Each time I pick up a book in the Must Love series, I know I’m in for a treat.

 

 

 Must Love Series

1-Must Love Breeches

2-Must Love Chainmail

3-Must Love Kilts

 

 

   

The Right Kind of Rogue (Playful Brides #8) by Valerie Bowman

Viscount Hart Highgate has decided to put his rakish ways behind him and finally get married. He may adore a good brandy or a high-speed carriage race, but he takes his duties as heir to the earldom seriously. Now all he has to do is find the right kind of woman to be his bride―ideally, one who’s also well-connected and well-funded. . .

Meg Timmons has loved Hart, the brother of her best friend, ever since she was an awkward, blushing schoolgirl. If only she had a large dowry―or anything to her name at all. Instead, she’s from a family that’s been locked in a bitter feud with Hart’s for years. And now she’s approaching her third London season, Meg’s chances with him are slim to none. Unless a surprise encounter on a deep, dark night could be enough to spark a rebellious romance. . .for all time?

Series: Playful Brides #8| Publisher: St. Martin's |Genre:  Historical Romance| Source: Publisher | Rating: 3.5 Cups

A reluctant viscount, a love-struck wallflower, and a meddling matchmaker, what could go wrong?

 

Here’s what’s going on. Hart’s not thrilled with the notion of settling down, especially when there’s always a new carriage race to win, snifter of brandy to drink, or widow to dally with but he’s finally decided he must do what’s proper for an heir of an earldom. And that would be taking a wife, but not just any wife, one with connections and a dowry who isn’t out to trap him.

 

Meg’s loved Hart nearly all of her life and now that he’s announced his plans to find a wife, her hopes of him noticing her have been crushed. Not only is she poor as a church mouse, their parents are bitter enemies. Running out of time, Meg does the only thing she can think of and enlists the help of Lucy, Duchesses of Claringdon, who happens to be an expert meddler and matchmaker. Will Meg be able to ensnare Hart or will her circumstances condemn her to a life as a wallflower.

 

My first romance by Valerie Bowman and I’m addicted. I could not put it down and ended up finishing it in the wee hours of the morning.

 

One of my favorite historical romance tropes is the reformed rake so I was immediately drawn in because if ever there was a rake, it was Hart. While he was likable and charming, he had his moments of jackassery and there was a few times I so wanted to call him out and tell him to grow up and stop being a bloody wanker.

 

Oh, Meg, why couldn’t you have opened your mouth and speak your mind? I liked Meg, I did, but I also wanted to shake her on more than one occasion. Given her situation, I understand to a point why she was so timid but if she was willing to go to the length of getting Lucy and her matchmaking madness involved, then she needed to be willing to voice her feelings to all those involved.

 

The romance took more than a bit of work and it was definitely a slow-building one but the attraction was there. Hart had a lot of internal work to do on himself and Meg, dear Meg, needed to learn how to speak her mind. Honestly, so much drama could have been saved if Meg would have opened up. For being such a wanker at times, Hart was surprisingly open with Meg.

 

The conflict was actually interesting and came from several sources. However, while the major conflict did work, it could have been avoided if Meg had listened to Hart’s concerns and just played it straight instead of going about things Lucy’s way.

 

Overall, while I had a few annoyances, I found this one to highly entertaining and addictive. I cannot wait to read the previous books in the series.

 

Playful Brides Series

 

The Unexpected Duchess #1

The Accidental Countess #2 

The Unlikely Lady #3... 

The Irresistible Rogue #4 

The Unforgettable Hero #4.5

The Untamed Earl #5

The Legendary Lord #6

Never Trust a Pirate #7 

The Right Kind of Rogue #8

A Duke Like No Other #9 (Coming 2018)