historical romance

REVIEW: Midnight Scandals by Courtney Milan,Sherry Thomas,Carolyn Jewel

REVIEW: Midnight Scandals by Courtney Milan,Sherry Thomas,Carolyn Jewel

Dear Ms. Jewel, Ms. Milan, and Ms. Thomas, I’ve been waiting for this anthology since I first heard about it last spring. The authors are among the strongest writing historical romance today and the premise linking the three novellas is clever and unusual: each is set in the same location but in a different time(…)

REVIEW:  Ruined by Moonlight by Emma Wildes

REVIEW: Ruined by Moonlight by Emma Wildes

Dear Ms. Wildes, When I saw you’d published a new historical romance, Ruined by Moonlight, I downloaded the ARC. I’ve read quite a few of your books since your print debut An Indecent Proposition (Jane liked it less than I did.) and enjoyed several. (Let’s agree not to discuss One Whisper Away.) When your books work(…)

REVIEW:  Once Upon a Ballroom by Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, Maya Rodale and Miranda Neville

REVIEW: Once Upon a Ballroom by Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, Maya Rodale and Miranda Neville

Dear Readers, Recently I purchased the self-published anthology, Once Upon a Ballroom: Original Short Stories and Exclusive Excerpts. I was drawn to this anthology by my interest in Miranda Neville’s story, “The School of Wooing for Inept Book Collectors.” I’ve enjoyed everything I have read by Neville, by which I mean the four books in(…)

REVIEW:  Not Proper Enough by Carolyn Jewel

REVIEW: Not Proper Enough by Carolyn Jewel

Dear Ms. Jewel, I was excited to read Not Proper Enough because two of your earlier books are on my list of favorite historical novels—my Ballin’ Bodice Rippers compilation—Lord Ruin (reviewed here by Jane) and Scandal (reviewed here by Janine.)  I haven’t read the first book in your Reforming the Scoundrels series, Not Wicked Enough (reviewed(…)

REVIEW:  The Way to a Duke’s Heart by Caroline Linden

REVIEW: The Way to a Duke’s Heart by Caroline Linden

Dear Ms. Linden, I’ve read all three books in your The Truth about the Duke trilogy and never much cared about what happened to said peer, the (unchallenged) Duke of Durham. The guy seems like a heel. On his deathbed–and estranged from his eldest son, Charlie, the hero of The Way to a Duke’s Heart–he confesses(…)

REVIEW:  Almost a Scandal by Elizabeth Essex

REVIEW: Almost a Scandal by Elizabeth Essex

For generations, the Kents have served proudly with the British Royal Navy. So when her younger brother refuses to report for duty, Sally Kent slips into a uniform and takes his place—at least until he comes to his senses. Boldly climbing aboard the Audacious, Sally is as able-bodied as any sailor there. But one man(…)

REVIEW:  A Scandalous Scot by Karen Ranney

REVIEW: A Scandalous Scot by Karen Ranney

Dear Ms. Ranney, They were a pair, weren’t they? The earl who’d divorced his wife, and the maid who hid her past. Perhaps they deserved each other. I enjoyed your latest book A Scandalous Scot. It’s a straightforward love story–a Cinderella story, really–between a smart, competent woman and a compassionate, passionate man. The plot made(…)

REVIEW:  Three Weddings and a Murder by Tessa Dare, Leigh LaValle, Courtney Milan, Carey Baldwin

REVIEW: Three Weddings and a Murder by Tessa Dare, Leigh LaValle, Courtney Milan, Carey Baldwin

This anthology contains stories by Tessa Dare, Leigh LaValle, Courtney Milan, and Carey Baldwin. The four authors–who call themselves The Bodice Rippers–published this anthology to raise money for the fight against breast cancer.  When the women were interviewed by USA Today, Ms. Baldwin said: We are a group of four friends who, inspired by the many examples of(…)

REVIEW:  Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

REVIEW: Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

Dear Ms. Hoyt: You are a superior writer and because you are a superior writer, you can get away with things that lesser writers cannot. First, let me commend you for writing about non titled characters. This is such a rarity in historical romance that the success of your series is a testament to your(…)

REVIEW:  A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

REVIEW: A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

Dear Ms. Quinn— It’s taken me way too long to write up my review of your latest Regency romance A Night Like This. I finished it weeks ago and found it wanting but couldn’t figure out what exactly it wanted. So, I went back and read several older books of yours I think are grand.(…)

REVIEW:  A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant

REVIEW: A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant

Dear Ms. Grant: As I read your novel A Gentleman Undone I brooded over words from one my favorite 18th century wordsmiths, the great Alexander Pope: “Honor and shame from no condition rise. Act well your part: there all the honor lies.” Here Pope asserts honor and shame are products of  behavior rather than experience or(…)

REVIEW:  Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes

REVIEW: Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes

Dear Ms. Burrowes— I’d read your debut novel, The Heir, and enjoyed it. When Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal came available for review, I snapped it up and I’m glad I did. It’s not the best historical romance I’ve read recently–2012 has thus far been a very good year in historical romance–but it was a pleasure(…)

REVIEW:  The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

REVIEW: The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

Dear Ms. Milan: It’s difficult to give a grade to each one of your books because your prose is so fine that my complaints, if I have any, always sound so mean (as in small not cruel). There are some brilliant things in this book, so brilliant that I needed more time spent with each(…)

REVIEW:  A Kiss in the Wind by Jennifer Bray-Weber

REVIEW: A Kiss in the Wind by Jennifer Bray-Weber

Dear Ms. Bray-Weber, I can honestly say I’ve never read a book like your pirate romance A Kiss on the Wind. Not only is it the only pirate romance I’ve read, it’s the only historical romance I’ve read where the heroine isn’t a virgin and no reason is given for that. I’ve read plenty of historical(…)