Only a Kiss by Mary Balogh (Survivors' Club #6)

Synopsis 

Since witnessing the death of her husband during the wars, Imogen, Lady Barclay, has secluded herself in the confines of Hardford Hall, their home in Cornwall. The new owner has failed to take up his inheritance, and Imogen desperately hopes he will never come to disturb her fragile peace.

Percival Hayes, Earl of Hardford, has no interest in the wilds of Cornwall, but when he impulsively decides to pay a visit to his estate there, he is shocked to discover that it is not the ruined heap he had expected. He is equally shocked to find the beautiful widow of his predecessor’s son living there.

Soon Imogen awakens in Percy a passion he has never thought himself capable of feeling. But can he save her from her misery and reawaken her soul? And what will it mean for him if he succeeds?

Review 

For five books, we’ve seen the reserved Imogen Hayes, part of the Survivors’ Club but holding herself apart, a woman who was captured with her husband by the French, heard him tortured and was with him at the end when he died. Imogen was unharmed but broken just the same. We’ve known that it was bad and that out of all of them, perhaps she was the one still most trapped in the wounds from the war. This book gives us her story, a story of a woman whose self-discipline keeps her from falling into a bottomless pit of depression and whose survivor’s guilt keeps her from feeling anything deeply at all. After 8 years, she’s finally shaken awake by a man who is charm itself, except when they interact.

Edenbrooke: A Proper Romance by Julianne Donaldson (2012)

I read 'Heir to Edenbrooke' before the book, so it took a little bit of the question as far as what was going on in Philip's head, but even without it, this would have been a great read. There are more than a few fan/swoon-worthy moments in this clean read - who says you can't have pages that sizzle with chemistry without things being explicitly described? Donaldson proves that you can have passion and heat and keep it clean. Bravo!

As far as the story: unlike one of my other recent reads, this character's insecurity is something I understand and can relate to: her 'more beautiful' twin has always been the better English Rose. Sister Cecily excels at the things that society ascribes to a lady, while our heroine, Marianne, would rather ride horses, climb trees and twirl with her eyes closed. Cecily loves life in London with the Beau Monde. Marianne longs for the country and hates doing embroidery. Since their mother's tragic death, Marianne has lived with their grandmother in Bath; their father, in his grief, abandoned them to relatives and fled to France. The girls receive an invitation from an old friend of their mother's to come stay at Edenbrooke. Before Marianne leaves, her grandmother decides to disown her scoundrel of a nephew and leave her 40,000 pounds to Marianne instead, provided she learns to be more genteel.

On her way to Edenbrooke, their coach is attacked by a highwayman. He's driven off by her maid's quick thinking and when they arrive at the inn, the tall gentleman Marianne asks for help is snide in his refusal. She delivers a terrific set down to the man and he's appropriately chagrined. The evening that follows has him being contrite, engaging and very attractive. Only problem: he won't tell her who he is beyond his first name (Philip).

When she arrives at Edenbrooke, their paths cross again, she falls into a river, and he's gallant even as he teases her. Then she finds out that he's the son of the woman who invited her to visit! Philip proceeds to pour in the charm, she thinks he's a terrible flirt, and a comfortable friendship develops, even as he constantly is doing things that say his interest is more than just being a hospitable host. Things are going along swimmingly until he's called Sir Philip and she realizes that he's the man her twin has been mooning over during her Season. And what Cecily wants, Cecily gets.

Donaldson gives us a heroine who is all heart, a hero who is a true gentleman and plenty of obstacles to the happy ending. None of it is forced or cringe-worthy. All of it is the stuff you read historical romance for. I only wished it was longer. 

5/5 stars

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (2020)

This book was fricking amazing. One of the best of the year and it's only March.

Wait, you say. What made it so fantastic?

1) Its maturity in how it handled complicated emotional issues. 

Just like me, the OTP -- April and Marcus -- have rocky relationships with their parents. They recognize their parents' shortcomings but still get hurt in spite of that awareness. Just like me, they know that random people's opinions don't determine your self-worth, but old wounds unexpectedly crop up when least expected. Reactions and hurts are analyzed afterwards, instead of simply taking them as the truth of that moment. The pair are mature enough to admit they were wrong, to consider someone else’s emotions, and to use that consideration to temper their own. I could relate to both in their doubts and insecurities. In making your friends your family. In not wanting to hide anymore and being brave enough to go through with taking off the protective mask.

Dead Heat (Alpha and Omega #4) by Patricia Briggs (2015)

As usual, I am impressed with Briggs’s creativity and writing. There were times, as I read this, where I had to just stop because I was amazed at how much she communicated with so few words, through showing rather than telling us. And this was quite a story. 

Anna’s birthday is around the corner and Charles is looking for a special birthday gift that she won’t be uncomfortable with. (She doesn’t like the ostentatious jewelry he and Brother Wolf like to buy her.) It gives him an opportunity to see an old and dear friend after 20 years. Once there, Charles discovers that Joseph is dying from lung cancer. His father, Hosteen, is the Alpha of the local werewolf pack and doesn’t understand why Charles won’t save his son; Joseph doesn’t want to turn but Hosteen doesn’t want to lose his son. 

Not long after they arrive, Joseph’s daughter-in-law, Chelsea, leaves a scary message on her husband’s phone. About blood and being afraid for their children and something being wrong with her. The incident reveals the malevolence of this new Fae war on humans: a Fae put a compulsion on Chelsea to butcher her children and then kill herself. In the aftermath, Charles and Anna hunt for the Fae and work to stop the Simulacrums that they've left behind.

At Last Comes Love (Huxtable Family Quintet #3) by Mary Balogh (2009)

Meg finds love and we're treated to a gem of a tale 😊

Out of all the romances I have read, I never expected Meg, aka Maggie, to be the most like myself. Nor did I expect so much in the story to resonate so deeply. In the previous books, Meg was a little boring. In fact, I almost skipped the book since I knew that Stephen's story is next. But I stuck to my habit of reading series in order and this book proved me wrong in the best way. 

Out of all the romances I have read, I never expected Meg, a.k.a. Maggie, to be most like myself. Nor did I expect so much in the story to resonate so deeply. In a the previous three books, Meg was a little boring. In fact, I almost skipped the book since I knew that Stephen’s story was next. But I stuck to my habit of reading series in order and this book proved me wrong in the best way. So if you’re struggling with the same apprehension, fear not. You won’t be disappointed.

We quickly find that Meg feels a little boring, as her siblings describe her as a paragon of righteousness and steady character. She’s ready to move on from the parental mantle she voluntarily donned and to start living again. Even if she’s 30 and most assuredly on the shelf. Meg’s problem, or rather her hindrance, is her strength and steadiness of character. It’s odd that it should make her seem boring, especially since I see myself so much in her, once I got to know her. But, just like with her siblings, Meg’s habit of being the impassive, inscrutable bedrock, risen out of her sense of duty, is what keeps her hidden from us. Just like me, she’s been hurt by disappointment in romance (and love), worries that she quite dull and too serious, and has forgotten how to be anything but the staid, serene spinster destined to be dependent on her brother for the rest of her life.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow (2019)

Synopsis

In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.

Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.

Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Harrow's spellbinding debut--step inside and discover its magic.

Review

Amazing, Engrossing and Original

This is a story of 2 stories. This is a story of a girl named January, whose mother is dead, father is absent and whose spirit is slowly being stifled by the rules of the early 20th century. Her foster father, Mr. Locke, has worked tirelessly in her father’s absence to raise January to be a proper young lady (even if she’s not totally white). Being white makes a difference in the world; he’s not allowed membership in the Archeological Society which employs him even though he obtains for them archeological objects of wonder from far-off places.

Pandemic Procrastination

 Hi, my friends, 

While I’ve been reading about a book a day, I’ve been bad about posting my reviews. Not the best way to start a blog, is it? 

I’m resolving to do better, despite the tendency to feel tired and cruddy. It’s not COVID-19 (don’t worry). It’s the stuff that makes me high-risk instead. Also, migraines. Those who get them know what I mean. 

I’ve also been dealing with a mouse problem, which so grosses me out. I was away for over a month helping my mom after my stepdad was hospitalized and then later passed away. My dad was kind enough to watch my dogs (and the house) but didn’t notice the mice. Flash forward and the mice have moved in for the winter. Since I’ve gotten back, it’s been a devil of a time getting rid of them (mousetraps that don’t spring when they go for the cheese, strategically placing rat poison so my dogs don’t eat it). They might be cute in theory but boy are they gross and annoying in real life. I’m finally going to be going back to a full 40 hours at work, so hopefully I’ll be able to hire an exterminator soon!

At least 2021 is looking better than 2020, what with a President who is taking the pandemic seriously and is listening to science and experts rather than alternative facts and conspiracy theorists. Fingers crossed!