Book Review: Acheron - by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Acheron is the 22nd installment in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters series of romances. It tells the story of Acheron Parthenopaeus, the leader of the Dark-Hunters, and how he came to be who and what he is. Since this was such a highly-anticipated book, I don't want to spoil anything about it, so I'm not going to give away any real details and just stick to my opinions about the book.

Though it is much longer than any of the other novels in this series, the length of the book didn't really bother me. What I had a problem with was that more than half of the book focused on Ash's backstory, leaving less than half for the actual romance. The backstory was important and I wanted to finally find out exactly what all had happened to the poor guy in the past, but after a few hundred pages I got the point and was ready to move on to his love story. As a result, I don't think that there was enough time to develop the whys and wherefores of the romance itself.

The heroine was a character that I had really liked from a previous novel in the series and I was tickled to see that that's who he ended up with - BUT she wasn't as charming and likeable in this book as she had been previously. She's ok; I just didn't buy why he felt so drawn to her when I couldn't see the supposed chemistry. I guess it kind of bugs me when an author tells you something about a character and expects you to take that as fact without actually demonstrating it to you. Like, the hero finds the heroine spunky and entertaining when all you've seen so far is that she got mad at him and threw a hammer at him. Later on, after their relationship is already established, she does become a very likeable character and she really is good for him and does all the right things... I guess I just wanted a little more effort made on the heroine's part to win Ash's affections.

I had expected this to be a five star book, but I can only give it 4 stars.

Book Review: Dream Chaser - by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Synopsis: Dream Chaser is #21 in the Dark-Hunters series of romances by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Xypher is a twice-damned Dream-Hunter with a checkered past (aren't they all?). In exchange for recently helping the good guys save the world (see Devil May Cry), the lord of the underworld has agreed to allow Xypher to spend one month in the mortal realm as a human. If, at the end of that month he has committed a good deed then he will be free from the underworld to live out the rest of his days on earth as a free man. A normal person wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and would seize the opportunity to be a better person and save themselves from eternal damnation. But no, Xypher is a bitter and reckless sort who prefers to spend his time seeking revenge against those who wronged him all those eons ago. Meanwhile, across town, medical examiner Simone Dubois is investigating a grisly murder involving a corpse that actually got up and walked out of the examining room. The cops and the county coroner are stumped, but Simone has a special gift that might help to shed light on the case: she sees dead people. Having witnessed the murder of her mother and younger brother as a child, she has been able to see and speak with ghosts ever since. When she runs into some really nasty soul-sucking Daimons in a dark alley, Xypher arrives on the scene just in the nick of time. He fends off the Daimons, but not before they have time to slap a really nasty curse on our hero and heroine. Unable to move more than 20 feet away from one another, the two must work together to fight off the bad guys and (of course) save the world.

I really liked this book. After meeting Xypher in Devil May Cry, I was looking forward to seeing more of him. He's mean, badass, and snappish - but basically a sweet guy underneath (like any good romance hero). He even does some really kind things for the heroine without intending for her to even find out it was him. Simone is a good Kenyon heroine: she's super-smart, courageous, and has just the right amount of vulnerability to make her likeable. You can tell she really treasures the people she loves. Even though the romance develops pretty rapidly, I think it works in this one. And her ghost sidekick is a pretty adorable character. Story-wise, you get lots more info on the different races of demons that are cropping up left and right in the series lately - and we meet some new characters who will probably become major players in upcoming books.

This one is a 4 star book for me.

Book Review: Upon the Midnight Clear - by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Synopsis: The novella Upon the Midnight Clear is part 20 in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter saga of romances. Our hero is a human for a change this time. Aidan O'Conner is an extremely jaded world-famous movie star who has been betrayed by everyone he ever loved, even his family. Fed up with being stabbed in the back by his friends and family, he retires to the snowy backwoods of Tennessee to live out the rest of his days in isolation where no one can hurt him. His evil brother Donnie, however, can't let it go. He hates his famous little brother so much that he summons an ancient god (Dolor) to kill Aidan. Leta is a Dream-Hunter who has spent most of her life fighting Dolor. She seeks out his next victim, Aidan, to try to save him from the evil god. She has her work cut out for her, though, because Aidan isn't interested in seeing, talking to, or being saved by anyone - much less a strange woman who shows up at his door in the middle of a snowstorm claiming to be a dream goddess out to protect him from the mythological god of pain.

I liked the hero and heroine in this book all right, but felt that their romance developed much too abruptly. It is not quite a full-length novel, so there is a limitation on time, but I still felt that the two characters decided they loved one another and were willing to sacrifice everything for one another WAY too quickly after meeting for the first time. Aidan is a pretty vulnerable guy who has erected a lot of barriers to protect himself from being hurt again. Leta works pretty hard to show him that he can trust her, but she's still somewhat underdeveloped as a character. The story was interesting though and you learn a bit more about the different players in the Dream-Hunter world.

*Note: This book contains a short story (more of a series of short vignettes) at the end entitled "Holiday Gatherings" where you get to see little snippets of all the different characters from the previous books in the series and how they were celebrating the holidays. Interestingly, this was my favorite part of this entire book.

I rated this one 3 stars in my LibraryThing catalog.

Book Review: Devil May Cry - by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Synopsis: Devil May Cry is the 19th story in the Dark-Hunters series of romances by Sherrilyn Kenyon. In this novel, we meet Sin, an ex-god from the Sumerian pantheon who works as a special kind of Dark-Hunter. He spends his time hunting and killing a particularly nasty kind of demons called the gallu, who not only can kill humans by the boatload, but also convert them into vicious zombie-like creatures. Unfortunately, Sin's unorthodox methods and lifestyle have made him something of a pariah among his Dark-Hunter brethren. And of course, like any good Kenyon hero, he is also out for revenge against the one who did him wrong way back when. This time it's the Greek goddess Artemis; she's the one who betrayed him thousands of years ago and stole his godhood from him. The heroine Katra, on the other hand, is a familiar face from previous stories (most significantly, Kiss of the Night and The Dream-Hunter). One of Artemis' loyal handmaidens, Kat has been sent by the goddess to the human realm to take Sin out for his supposed transgressions. Of course, Artemis also wants him dead before he has a chance to have his revenge on her. And it doesn't help matters that when Sin first meets Kat, he takes one look at her and mistakes her for Artemis.

What an informative book! Up until now, who and what Katra actually is have been something of a mystery. Is she Greek? Is she Atlantean? Is she a goddess or just a mere servant to the gods? Devil May Cry answers all of these questions and then some. Up until this point in the series, I sort of expected Kat to be Acheron's eventual love interest; however, this book explains her relationship to Acheron and the other gods while introducing lots of new characters and a whole new pantheon of gods and beasties.

I really liked Kat when she appeared earlier in the series. She's tough, courageous, and loyal to her friends. And she's a good person - she refuses to pass judgment on Sin until she sees proof of his alleged crimes with her own eyes. And even then, she is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. For his part, Sin could care less what Kat thinks of him. He's only got two things on his mind: revenge against Artemis and stopping the gallu demons from unleashing hell on earth. Of course, Kat manages to distract him with her sense of humor and honesty; he can't help but fall in love with her. She really is another great Sherrilyn Kenyon heroine, with just the right mix of strength and vulnerability to make her loveable without being abrasive. Sin sort of came across to me as a sort of generic tortured hero, but he's still a likeable guy and you want Kat to get her man in the end.

My Favorite Scene: The one when Kat and Ash meet for the first time in Artemis' temple (I don't want to spoiler, so I won't say anymore...)

This was a solid 4 star book.

Book Review: "Phantom Lover" - by Sherrilyn Kenyon

"Phantom Lover" is a short story appearing in the anthology, Midnight Pleasures. It is #5 in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters series of romances.

Synopsis: Average American office worker Erin McDaniels has been haunted by some really awful nightmares lately. It's gotten so she can't get much rest at all. Then one day, she falls asleep from sheer exhaustion at her desk at work only to fall into yet another nightmare. This time, however, smokin' hot dream-god V'Aidan rescues her from the dream monsters and takes her to a happier place in her dreams. As their relationship develops, Erin finds herself wanting to spend more and more time with her gentle and caring dream-god. Unfortunately, the wicked Skoti are out to destroy them and take V'Aidan away from Erin forever.

Incapable of feeling any emotion, Skoti spend their time feeding off of human emotions while they dream. The most vivid emotions are usually produced by nightmares, so the Skoti tend to focus on the worst of people's dreams. This is the first time in the series that we get to see much of the world of the Dream-Hunters. Up to this point, we have only seen a couple of Dream-Hunters here and there but we haven't learned much about them except that some of them exist to protect the dreamer from their nightmares and the Skoti who feed off of them.

I loved the romance in this story. While limited to the shorter format of a short story, you still get a lot of good romantic development, tension, and drama. V'Aidan and Erin really do care for one another and they deserve to be happy. I actually cried a little while reading this one, which is REALLY rare for me with a short story.

I give this story 5 stars!

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters series - correct reading order

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters Series:

1. Fantasy Lover (Julian of Macedon & Grace Alexander)
2. "Dragonswan" (Sebastian Kattalakis & Channon MacRae) - short story in Tapestry
3. Night Pleasures (Kyrian of Thrace & Amanda Devereaux
4. Night Embrace (Talon & Sunshine Runningwolf)
5. "Phantom Lover" (V'Aidan & Erin McDaniels) - short story in Midnight Pleasures
6. Dance With the Devil (Zarek & Astrid)
7. Kiss of the Night (Wulf Tryggvasen & Cassandra Peters)
8. Night Play (Vane Kattalakis & Bride McTierney)
9. "Winter Born" (Dante Pontis & Pandora) - short story in Stroke of Midnight
10. Seize the Night (Valerius Magnus & Tabitha Devereaux)
11. Sins of the Night (Alexion & Dangereuse St. Richard)
12. "Second Chances" (?) - short story in The Dark-Hunter Companion
13. Unleash the Night (Wren Tigarian & Maggie Goudeau)
14. Dark Side of the Moon (Ravyn Kontis & Susan Michaels)
15. "A Hard Day's Night-Searcher" (Rafael Santiago & Celena) - short story in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
16. "Until Death We Do Part" (Velkan Danesti & Retta) - short story in Love at First Bite
17. "Fear the Darkness" - short story e-book
18. The Dream-Hunter (Arikos & Megeara Kafieri)
19. Devil May Cry (Sin & Katra)
20. Upon the Midnight Clear (Aidan O'Conner & Leta)
21. Dream Chaser (Xypher & Simone Dubois)
22. Acheron (Acheron Parthenopaeus & Soteria Kafieri *aka: Tory)
23. One Silent Night (Strykerius & Zephyra)
24. "Shadow of the Moon" (Fury Kattalakis & Angelia) - short story in Dead After Dark

Re-reading is fun!

I'm currently doing a massive re-reading of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters series. I just finished up re-reading all the books that I've already read and have finally gotten into the newer ones I haven't read yet.

Still, I'm having trouble keeping all these Dark-Hunter books straight in my head, so I'm posting a full listing of all the books and short stories in the series (in proper reading order, of course) - with links to my reviews of each. I'm going to have to re-number them in the original posts probably since I was missing a few at the time (yes I am that obsessive). I'll also be editing the list to make additions as needed. *sigh* Kind of annoying to rehash all of this, but since this is all just for my own personal benefit anyway, who cares!?

Book Review: The Dream-Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Synopsis: The Dream-Hunter is #18 in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters series. This book takes us back in time from when the rest of the series takes place - about 10 years into the past - to the shores of Greece. Dr. Megeara Kafieri is trying desperately to fulfill her life's ambition: to find the ancient continent of Atlantis. She's pretty sure she's found the exact location, only she can't seem to get permission from the powers that be to dig beneath the ocean floor. What she doesn't know is that the gods don't want anyone poking around the ruins of Atlantis for fear of what might be unleashed - and they'll do whatever it takes to stop Geary from fulfilling her mission. The book's hero, Arikos, is a Skotos (a cursed and unfeeling dream god who can only experience emotions when siphoning them off of human dreamers). Arik has been hooking up with Geary in her dreams for the past several months, feeding off her extra-special super-vivid emotions. Apparently, Geary is all work and no play in the real world but a total demon in the sack (when she's dreaming anyway). Only it's not enough for Arik to experience her in the dream world; he craves more of her and her intense emotions. So he makes a bargain with the god of the underworld, Hades: he can walk the earth as a mortal man for two weeks and experience all of the feelings a human can experience. The price: when his two weeks is up, Arik must deliver unto Hades Geary's soul.

Well, needless to say, it doesn't ever bode well for a relationship when one of the parties goes into it with the intention of eventually murdering the other person. You can see the set-up for the end-of-the-book drama right from the start. Also, their relationship starts out based on sex (well, dream sex anyway) and I never felt like there was all that much real romantic tension between them. I honestly think the author could've taken the romantic elements out of the book completely and just focused on the plot because I found that far more interesting. However, what saves this book is the continued development of the overall storyline of the series. It explains just a little bit more about the imprisoned Atlantean goddess Apollymi. Also, the world and mythology of the Dream-Hunters is fleshed out a little more and lots of new characters are introduced, several of whom I hope get their own stories one day. My favorite new characters were probably Geary's sweet and brainy teenage cousin Tory and Arik's jaded demigod brother Solin. We also see some characters we've seen in other books, but in this novel we get to see some of their past. And what a treat to get snippets of Acheron, Kyrian, and Nick ten years earlier than when we meet them in Night Pleasures!

My favorite part: Tory feeding Arik his first moon pie.

I gave this one only 2 stars in my LibraryThing catalog.

Book Review: The Charmer - by Celeste Bradley

The Charmer is the 5th installment in Celeste Bradley's Liar's Club series of regency spy romances (it is technically the 4th novel in the series, but I included the short story "Wedding Knight" in my reckoning). This novel tells the story of Collis Tremayne and Rose Lacey.

Synopsis: We first met Collis way back in The Pretender, while he was convalescing in the hospital. Since then, he has been in training to be a full-fledged member of the Liar's Club ring of English spies. Rose was a trembling little housemaid (see The Impostor) who has decided to be a victim no more. She, too, is now in training to become the first female Liar. Both are determined to succeed and a strong rivalry has formed between them. When one of their heated sparring matches leaves the Liars' training room in shambles, they are given the ultimate penance: they must work together as partners on a test mission. As they bicker their way through the pretend mission, they stumble onto a real plot against the crown and are forced to work together to solve it.

This is one of my favorite books in the Liar's Club/Royal Four series. Collis is so charming and funny. And while Rose is a strong and determined woman, she still has a believable vulnerability that leaves you cheering for her and Collis to make it as a couple. And there are lots of obstacles in their way: their pride, the fact that they are both spies who need clear heads and unfettered hearts to be effective, and the vast gulf between their stations (he is heir to a title, she is a former servant).

The plot itself in this book is really engaging with fast-paced action. I like the overall story arc that the author uses in this series. It develops a little with each book, even carrying on into the Royal Four series of novels. It was also kind of neat to see a real historical figure (the Prince Regent) playing such a prominent role in the story. Bradley makes him an entertaining character and I enjoyed his interaction with the main characters.

My Favorite Part had to be when the Prince decides to go along with Collis on his break-in of Wadsworth's house. It was hilarious picturing His Paunchy Highness clad all in black (to look cool) sneaking through windows and then on the run from the bad guys.

This was a 5 star book!

Book Review: "Wedding Knight" - by Celeste Bradley

"Wedding Knight" is a short story appearing in the anthology, My Scandalous Bride. It is the 4th tale in Celeste Bradley's "Liar's Club" series of regency romances. It tells the story of Kitty Trapp, whom we have met in the first couple of Liar's Club books - most notably in The Impostor - and one Alfred Theodious Knight (aka "Knight").

Synopsis: Knight is in the market for a wife, preferably one who is respectable, obedient, and will not embarrass him in any way. He settles for Bitty Trapp, the spoiled and rather brainless twin sister of our heroine, Kitty. Unfortunately, Bitty doesn't want to marry Knight, so *****SPOILER ALERT***** she convinces her identical twin to pose as Knight's bride to give her "time to adjust" to the idea of being married to him. Loyal Kitty goes through with the charade, only to find that her sister has skipped town during the ceremony and is nowhere to be found. Now Kitty must pose as Knight's wife until her sister can be found. She doesn't like the idea of deceiving the man so unfairly. Add to that the fact that Knight is pretty bossy and controlling, always telling his new bride what she can and cannot do or say or wear... To while away the time until her sister turns up, Kitty decides to set Knight straight on a few things in order to make him a more bearable husband for her sister. Of course, if Knight finds out the truth, it will mean the scandal of the century - which is the last thing he wants.

I really enjoyed this story. I'm usually not too crazy about short stories all that much because either they are too short for the romance to develop believably OR you get really into the story/characters and then it's all over too quickly. This story was the latter. I already liked Kitty's character a lot from when we'd seen her in previous books. She is plucky and has a knack for making lemonade when life hands her lemons. And she gets lots of lemons. Knight is kind of a lemon, but she works pretty hard to bring out his nice qualities from beneath his grumpy exterior. And, to his credit, he's not completely awful. He recognizes his wife's good qualities: her cleverness, her wit, her sense of humor, her fierce bravery. No one else has ever noticed, much less admired, these qualities in her. I thought it was kind of funny how the very things he admires in her are the things that he professes to dislike as qualities in a wife.

I gave this one 5 stars in my catalog

Book Review: The Spy - by Celeste Bradley

The Spy is the 3rd novel in Celeste Bradley's Liar's Club series of regency spy romances. This is the story of James Cunnington, whom we met in The Pretender (he's Agatha's brother), and Phillipa Atwater, the daughter of a former Liar's Club cryptologist.

Synopsis: Phillipa, penniless and destitute, is looking for her father who has been abducted by French spies. The only clue she has is a note in her father's notebook about a man named James Cunnington. In order to investigate Cunnington, she poses as a young man and takes a position as tutor to James' adopted son. The spies in the Liars Club believe that her father has changed sides and is now working for the French. James, meanwhile, is trying to settle a personal vendetta against a woman who betrayed him (see The Pretender). He feels responsible for the secrets he allegedly divulged while under the spell of his former lover. To top it off, he's been taken off the Atwater case due to an injury, so he secretly pursues the investigation on his own. Little does he know, of course, that Atwater's daughter is living under his own roof.

I liked James' character when we first met him in The Pretender. He was kind of funny (in a sardonic sort of way). You could really sense his regret for the secrets he feared he had spilled, and also for the way that he had neglected his sister for all those years. By the time we see him in The Spy, his regret, self-loathing, and general mistrustfulness (is that a word?) have made him a remote and unaffectionate man. Afraid to attach himself to another woman, he has taken in a reformed young pickpocket and named him as his heir so that he won't have to marry to produce an heir of his own. And not only does he not want to have anything to do with women, he also withholds affection and attention from his young "son." Starved for attention, the boy naturally turns to Phillipa, who begins to fulfill a motherly role in the child's life.

James, too, begins to feel a closeness to the young tutor. He feels comfortable around "Phillip" and opens up to him, revealing his feelings of guilt and betrayal. Poor Phillipa longs to comfort him, but has to maintain her disguise. The longer she is with him, the more she comes to realize that James is not a villain and the more she comes to love him. I kind of felt sorry for her. I mean, here she is this poor girl with no family, no money, a lost father, the French and English both are trying to hunt her down and kill her for what she might know, and the man she's in love with is emotionally wasted and thinks she's a boy.

I liked this book for the most part. However, I felt like the "woman posing as a man" thing went on a little too long. I don't generally have a problem with that particular plot device so long as it doesn't go on forever. Because if you wait too long before the other party discovers the truth, then there is not enough time left in the story for that person to believably fall in love with the other person. I think that happened with this book. I also would have liked a bit more excitement on James' end over his perceived betrayal by Phillipa. He gets mad, but he gets over it pretty quickly. Where's the misery? the rage? the oh-no-I've-been-betrayed-again-by-someone-I-love torment? I must confess that I like a little melodramatic anguish in my romance.

So in the end, I gave it 3 stars in my LibraryThing catalog.

Book Review: The Impostor - by Celeste Bradley

The Impostor is the 2nd novel in the Liar's Club series of regency romances by Celeste Bradley. We met both Dalton and Clara in the first book in this series, The Pretender. I was very interested in Dalton and was pleased that his story was next.

Synopsis: Dalton Montmorency has a secret identity: he is the new leader of a group of spies known as the Liar's Club. His mission: to ferret out the mysterious cartoonist, Sir Thorogood, before his cartoons can cause any more political havoc. In an effort to flush the man out, Dalton puts on his tackiest waistcoat and his highest heels and enters society claiming to be the cartoonist himself. The widow Clara Simpson also has a secret identity: she is the real Sir Thorogood. And she's mightily annoyed at the dandified impostor. Pretending to be an uncouth simpering bimbo, she sets out to unmask him and prove him for a fraud.

This book is chock full of secret identities. Both hero and heroine assume many different identities as they make their way through the puzzling plot to find the truth. I think the author sets these multiple roles up as a way to allow the characters to display their many facets. Dalton is one of my favorite kinds of hero: very driven and completely emotionally closed off. But when he is posing as a common thief, he can open up a little and let himself express his feelings. Clara also experiences a kind of freedom when posing as a ballsy housemaid. She is free to explore the daring, passionate woman inside. It is when they are in these roles that they allow themselves to explore their feelings for one another. And when their myriad identities are at last revealed, each of them must reconcile these different facets with themselves and with the person they fell in love with.

Favorite Part: It's not so much a particular scene, but I loved how Clara kept drawing and doodling Dalton over and over, sort of as a compulsion.

I gave this book 5 stars in my LibraryThing catalog.

Book Review: The Pretender - by Celeste Bradley

The Pretender is the 1st book in Celeste Bradley's series of regency-era romances centered around a group of spies known as the Liar's Club.

Synopsis: Agatha Cunnington has come to London determined to find her missing brother, James. Though James has grown distant over the past several years, he is all the family she has left and the sheltered country miss is willing to risk whatever it takes to find him. Agatha's got problems, though. She has a conniving neighbor back home who wants to marry her off to his slimy son at the first opportunity. On top of that, a young unmarried lady cannot simply go gallivanting around the capital alone. So Agatha concocts a fake identity for herself: one Mrs. Mortimer Applequist. To make her disguise complete, she enlists her handsome new chimney sweep to pose as Mr. Applequist himself. Simon Raines, spymaster and chimney sweep extraordinaire, cannot believe his good fortune. As the leader of the Liar's Club, a secret ring of spies working for the Crown, he too is searching for James Cunnington. He believes that James is responsible for the recent deaths of several Liars and the leaking of critical information to the enemy. Believing that Agatha is James' mistress, he tries insinuate himself into her confidence while posing as her "husband."

This author came highly recommended to me and I was delighted with this first book. The plot is exciting and I got caught up in the drama involving the secondary characters. Bradley does a good job with character development. Often in romance, one or both of the main characters are really just character archetypes with little depth and simple motives. Bradley's heroes and heroines are complex, with many different emotional motivations based on their unique experiences and needs. Both are wary of telling the truth, but for very different reasons. Agatha is protecting her beloved brother while Simon is duty-bound to keep his mission secret. Then, when it all comes out in the open, Simon struggles with balancing his love for Agatha with his need to protect her from the dangers of being involved with a spy. For her part, Agatha is a very determined woman who selflessly loves her man. I think that's a really admirable quality. When he tries to push her away, instead of taking what she can from him and then letting him go, she focuses all of her energy on loving him and helping him to face his demons.

Favorite Parts: When Agatha "kills off" Mortimer. It's priceless. Also, the scene where "Repulsive Reggie" shows up and Simon nearly annihilates him.

I gave this book 5 stars in my LibraryThing catalog.

Celeste Bradley novels - reading order

For the past few weeks, I've been reading Celeste Bradley's "Liar's Club" and "Royal Four" series of regency-era romantic spy novels. These books contain a continuing storyline with a definite chronological order. The order of each series is listed on the author's web site but, over the course of reading them, I'm finding that the second series actually begins in the midst of the first. There is also a short story thrown into the mix. So. I'm putting down the proper reading order of the books here so I can better keep track.

1. The Pretender (Liar's Club #1)
2. The Impostor (Liar's Club #2)
3. The Spy (Liar's Club #3)
4. "Wedding Knight" in My Scandalous Bride (short story)
5. The Charmer (Liar's Club #4)
6. To Wed a Scandalous Spy (Royal Four #1)
7. The Rogue (Liar's Club #5)
8. Surrender to a Wicked Spy (Royal Four #2)
9. One Night With a Spy (Royal Four #3)
10. Seducing the Spy (Royal Four #4)

I suspect there may be another Liar's Club book forthcoming because of certain plot elements that have not yet been resolved. However, these things may all be resolved in the remaining Royal Four books - I don't know yet. I'm also planning to review all of the books in this series (they really are all excellent); I just have to overcome my laziness and do it.

Book Review: Slightly Dangerous - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: Slightly Dangerous is the 6th and final novel in the Bedwyn family series of regency romances by Mary Balogh. This is Wulfric's long-awaited and much-anticipated story. The impoverished widow of a jealous man, Christine Derrick lives in a tiny cottage with her mother and spinster sister. When she is invited to a wealthy friend's house party, she intends to spend most of her time quietly observing the other more fashionable guests from the sidelines. However, her cheerful and fun-loving nature has a tendency to land her into all kinds of awkward situations. Stodgy, top-lofty Lord Wulfric, the Duke of Bewcastle, first meets the pretty and vivacious Christine when she accidentally drips lemonade in his eye from an overhead balcony. What happens after that is a series of comical mishaps wherein Wulfric is forced by gentlemanly honor and common decency to aid her. Christine finds the stuffy duke amusing and can't resist teasing him on occasion. Of course, she has some unpleasant secrets from her past, including some questionable business having to do with her husband's death. In fact, her late husband's family spurn her at every opportunity and disparage her character to anyone who will listen. Everything in Wulf's nature tells him that he should stay away from the wild miss, but instead he feels drawn to her. Finally, he decides to act on his attraction to her by asking her to become his mistress. Needless to say, Christine is unimpressed with the offer and sparks fly.

This is one of the best novels of this series. After seeing Wulf in the preceeding books, it was very satisfying to see him in his own story. He is a wonderfully interesting character. He hides his inner dreams and feelings behind a VERY heavy veneer of aloof pride and his ever-present quizzing glass. And yet, when he is with Christine, he cannot help himself: his uncomfortable feelings bubble to the surface. She has an effervescent vitality that he cannot resist. And in true Wulfric fashion, he decides he must have her, only he could not possibly condescend to marrying her. Christine, on the other hand, wants him too, but sticks to her guns. She is not going to satisfy her heart at the cost of her self-respect. In the course of the story, though, she manages to bring stoic Wulfric out of his shell (at least a little) and helps him to realize that it is alright to let others into his heart and that he can realize his own dreams if he would only allow himself to do so.

My favorite parts: When Christine grabs his quizzing glass and throws it up in a tree and he has to go and get it. Then when they are at the ball and he looks at her from across the room and raises his quizzing glass to his eye to examine her, she whips out her own glass and lifts it to her eye to stare back at him. Wulf laughs and is transformed by such a never-before seen display of humor.

I gave this one 5 stars in my LibraryThing catalog!

Jane Austen series to air on Masterpiece Theater

In the coming weeks, PBS will be airing Masterpiece: The Complete Jane Austen. They will show film adaptations of ALL SIX of Jane Austen's novels (*drool) on a weekly basis beginning on Sunday, January 13th. According to my local PBS station's schedule, the first one to air will be Persuasion and the second one will be Northanger Abbey. I have never seen a film version of Northanger Abbey before, so I'm particularly excited about that one.

Book Review: Slightly Tempted - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: Slightly Tempted is the fourth novel in the Bedwyn family series of regency romances by Mary Balogh. This novel tells the story of the youngest Bedwyn sibling, Morgan. Only 18 years old, she is already a bit jaded to the frivolities of ton life. When she is offered the chance to accompany a friend's family to Brussels on the eve of the renewal of war with France, she cannot pass it up. She is truly interested and concerned in the business of the brewing war. Meanwhile, the handsome Gervase Ashford (the newly minted Earl of Rosthorn) is mouldering away in Brussels. Having been exiled for 9 years from England by his father for crimes he didn't commit, Gervase is thrilled to run into Morgan, the very sister of the man he blames for much of his troubles. He plans to seek revenge upon Wulfric Bedwyn by seducing his sister and generating a scandal. He has only begun to succeed at his plans, flirting shamelessly with her on numerous occasions, etc., when the battle of Waterloo erupts.

While most young aristocratic women are content to stay at home safely behind closed doors, Morgan boldly ventures out to the city gates to help others treat and care for the wounded soldiers pouring into the city - all despite her own fears for her brother, Alleyne, who has been commissioned by the embassy to take an important missive to the front lines of battle. It is at the city gates where Gervase finds her tending the wounded and offers to go look for her brother. When Alleyne cannot be found, Gervase tries to comfort and aid Morgan, offering her friendship and support. The two become true friends over the next several days as Morgan continues to tend the wounded while holding out hope of her brother's return. Finally, news arrives that confirms that Alleyne must surely have died at the battle, and Morgan turns to her dear friend for comfort in a night of passion. She will not marry him though, so he compromises by escorting her back to England to break the news to her family. They find that their scandalous behavior in Brussels has been reported in London, and Gervase has unwittingly had his revenge against his enemy Wulfric after all. Only by then, he doesn't want revenge, he only wants Morgan. And when she learns the truth about his motives on first meeting her in Belgium, she does not believe that she can trust him again. In her anger, she vows to go through a mock-betrothal only to make him fall in love with her and then cruelly abandon him.

Like so many good books, it is really hard to do this story justice. I absolutely loved this book. I loved the two main characters, I loved the setting, and I loved the struggles the characters went through.

I just love it when the characters are as dynamic as these two. They both change over the course of the story. Morgan discovers some of the real world from which those around her have tried to shelter her all her life. She is awakened to many harsh, bitter realities. At the same time, she discovers a deep feeling of friendship with Gervase, something she has never had before. I also think Gervase is a great hero. He, too is jaded - but for different reasons. He has been terribly wronged in his past, and cannot see beyond his need for revenge. With gentle guidance from Morgan, Gervase learns to forgive and let go of his desire for revenge. And through teaching Gervase about forgiveness, Morgan herself learns to forgive.

Of course, the scenes with the other Bedwyns were great also. I got really caught up in Morgan's desperate hope for Alleyne to be found, even though I knew that he wouldn't. And then watching the family mourn the loss of their brother was really heartbreaking. Especially Wulfric. You get a few more glimpses of Wulf's backstory in this book - as well as a glimpse of his hidden vulnerability as he grieves for his brother. I am looking forward to reading his story in Slightly Dangerous.

Favorite parts: When Gervase keeps riding out of Brussels to look for Morgan's brother. She is the sister of his age-old enemy, and yet he devotes himself to doing whatever he can to serve her. It reminded me of Darcy's devotion to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice when he searches London for the evil Wickham and then fixes everything - all so that Elizabeth won't be hurt. It's a mark of how much Gervase really cared for Morgan.

I also really liked the part where Morgan shows Gervase the painting by the river and he understands that the painting is about how the trees and the water and everything else in the world are all connected. He asks if he can keep the painting and says: "I will hang it in my bedchamber so that I may see it every day. After you have broken my heart and left me, I will remember that we are always and ever connected." (I had to get out my tissues.)

This one was definitely a 5 star book for me.

Book Review: Slightly Scandalous - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: Slightly Scandalous is the third book in the Bedwyn family series of regency romances by Mary Balogh. This is the story of Freyja, the eldest of the two Bedwyn sisters. It opens with headstrong, independent, and haughty (read: reckless, bitchy, and autocratic) Freyja pretty much fleeing to Bath to lick her wounds after having the guy she was in love with three years ago (a.k.a. Kit Butler - see A Summer to Remember) get married to somebody else and then additionally watching two of her older brothers get happily married one after the other while she remains unmarried and alone. Now her old flame's wife is about to give birth to their first child and it's just all too much for Freyja to take, so she heads off to the resort town of Bath to escape the hubbub back home. While there, she meets dashing former spy turned Marquess of Hallmere, Joshua Moore. She hates him on sight (which is pretty much how she reacts to most people) and even confronts him at a crowded gathering, accusing him of a transgression which he then publicly proves he did not in fact commit. Instead of eating humble pie, though, our heroine can't back down and they spend a few days sparring with one another. Poor Joshua has his own problems, with a kindly grandmother who would like nothing better than to see him wed, an evil aunt who tries to manipulate him into marrying her daughter, and an accusation of murder flying around. To deflect some of the matrimonial tension, he and Freyja decide to form a sort of mock betrothal and then they head off to Joshua's country estate to fend off the murder accusations.

I did not really like this book. I didn't absolutely hate it or anything, I just didn't like it. I think the main reason, really, is that I didn't like Freyja. At all. I have had a hard time liking her since we first met her in A Summer to Remember. I did try to like her. Truly I did. I even told myself when I started this book that I should not apply any kind of double-standard on this character - that I would not dislike traits in a female character that I would find acceptable and understandable in a male character. However, I think that if the roles had been reversed and Joshua behaved as Freyja does, I would have disliked him as well. Freyja is just so abrasive and mean.

The other thing that really bugged me was the way she ran around punching people in the face. I mean, I was ok with the first punch, when she thought she was defending another woman from an attacker. However, after that it just bothered me. I would not have accepted that kind of behavior in a male character. It is difficult to see why Joshua puts up with her at all, much less falls in love with her. And I really did like his character - he is charming, kind, caring, etc. It is hard not to admire these Balogh heroes who love their grandma's so much.

Otherwise, I thought the storyline was pretty entertaining, with the scheming aunt and the way Joshua comes to realize how much he loves the people and place where he grew up. I also enjoyed the further interaction with the rest of the Bedwyn family. I really like the other Bedwyns, especially Aidan and Wulfric. It's neat to see how the characters from the previous books are doing and what's happening in their lives even after their main romance story has been told.

This was only a 2 star book for me.

Book Review: Slightly Wicked - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: Slightly Wicked is the second novel in Mary Balogh's Bedwyn family series of regency romances. It stars Rannulf Bedwyn, the 3rd Bedwyn brother. It starts out with Rannulf on his way to visit his grandmother who, having made him her heir, has found what she thinks may be a suitable bride for him. On the way there, he comes across an overturned post coach stranded by the side of the road. One of the passengers, exceptionally beautiful redhead Judith Law, accepts his offer of a ride into the next town to seek aid. Intent on a guiltless dalliance, he gives her a false name, not letting on that he is really the brother of the powerful Duke of Bewcastle. He assumes she is a stage actress, one willing to share her bed with the right gentleman, and she does not disabuse him of this belief. In reality, Judith is a parson's daughter who has been farmed out as a poor relation to live with her well-to-do aunt in the country. She has led a fairly uneventful, sheltered life and the chance to pose as a ballsy, flirtatious actress for an hour or so is too good to pass up. She flirts with Rannulf all the way into the next town and they spend a couple of nights of passion together, he believing her an accomplished actress and lover, she thinking him a charming, rakish gentleman. Neither suspects the other's true identity. Of course, they must go their separate ways and Judith slips away in the morning, leaving him only a brief note of farewell.

Both of them think the adventure is over for good, but neither can forget those two nights together. Of course, come to find out that the girl Rannulf's grandmother has in mind for him is none other than Judith's empty-headed cousin, the daughter of the aunt that she has been sent to live out the rest of her dreary days with. They are both shocked to meet again and discover one another's true identity (like we didn't see this coming), but now they must face the reality of their situations: Judith is a poor relation and treated like a nobody while Rannulf has promised his grandmother that he will seriously pay court to the young girl she has chosen for him. Meanwhile, the crabby old aunt, afraid that Judith's natural beauty will detract from her own daughter's attractions, forces Judith to dress unflatteringly and behave as no more than a servant. All the same, Rannulf can't keep his eyes off her and eventually determines to make her his.

And most of that happens in the first 100 pages or so. There's also a dastardly villain in the form of a lecherous cousin, a ne'er do well spendthrift brother, and the theft of some family jewels (for which Judith is blamed).

This book kind of dragged a bit for me. I think maybe it was because it is the first book by Balogh that I did not thoroughly enjoy every step of the way. Judith is an interesting character, with her natural acting talent and her family situation (although I did find her a bit of a victim), but I thought Rannulf was a little lackluster for a hero. He's a nice guy, but he doesn't have a lot of individuality - just your average, garden variety regency romance rake/gentleman. And the bad guy is really bad, almost too bad to be believable. But I did enjoy the bits with the other Bedwyns, particularly the parts with Wulfric but not so much the parts with Freyja. I just don't like her character. She's bitchy and snobby. I didn't like her in A Summer to Remember, either. Her story is the subject of the next novel in this series, Slightly Scandalous.

Best part: Probably when, after Judith is accused of the jewel theft and then runs off to London, Rannulf rides after her and takes her to his family to protect her. He never once believes that she is guilty and he does fight for her - far more than she fights for herself.

I give this one 3 stars.

Book Review: Slightly Married - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: Slightly Married is the first novel in the Bedwyn family series by Mary Balogh. Set in regency England, this book tells the story of Aidan Bedwyn, brother to the Duke of Bewcastle and member of the mighty Bedwyn family. Aidan is the second son, the one destined for military service. He did his duty and has spent most of his life fighting in the peninsula, rising in rank over the years to Colonel. At the open of the novel, one Percy Morris, having once saved Aidan's life in battle, lay dying on the battlefield. His final request is that Aidan find his sister and protect her "no matter what." Aidan, a man of his word, takes a two month leave and journeys to England to bring the sad news of the young man's death to his sister. Eve Morris is devastated to learn of her brother's death. Just as devastating is the realization that Eve and her entire household (including her two young adopted children) will all be turned out of their house in a few days' time due to a quirk in her father's will. Aidan, ever bound by his promise, decides to marry the woman in order to save her from her fate. Both of them assume it will be a simple marriage of convenience, neither of them expecting to see the other again after the wedding. Of course, they don't count on the fact that they are falling in love.

This was an enjoyable novel. I really liked Aidan. He was so stoic. He thinks that love is a bunch of nonsense and that duty and honor are all. Eve is a sensitive, loving, bleeding-heart who cannot bear to allow others to suffer injustice. This might be an almost annoying trait in a heroine, but Balogh paints her as a warm, living, breathing woman and I found myself liking her immensely. She is not weak, nor is she tragic. She is practical and determined to do what is right. I suppose this is one reason why she and Aidan fit together so well. They are both so honorable.

I loved how Aidan kept trying to leave her and kept not doing it. At first, after he does his duty by telling her about her brother's death and offering to help her, he figures he's done his bit and prepares to leave. But circumstances conspire to keep him around a few extra days until he realizes that, in all honor, he must stay and help her. Then, after they are married and he has no more obligation to stay with her, he keeps finding reasons to stick around a little longer. He eventually allows himself to love Eve, her children, and her home.

I really like how the Bedwyns have these big noses and sort of harsh features - they are not traditionally good-looking, and yet they have a certain appeal. They are not perfect. I also liked how Aidan just didn't give a damn about the fact that Eve Morris was essentially a "nobody." She worries about it a good bit, but this is not the essential obstacle to their romance for Aidan. For him, the real hurdle is accepting that it really is ok to have feelings beyond those of duty.

My favorite parts: When Eve wears black to her court presentation (it was so satisfying to see her throwing it in all their faces!) and then when Aidan smiles for the first time.

I can't wait to read about the other Bedwyns now. Especially Wulfric. He's so stodgy and wound up. His story is the final one in the series, so it will be a while yet.

I gave this book 4 stars.