Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary

Dear Ms Koen,

Anyone who’s ever seen the film “Restoration” will have an idea of the glory, beauty and depravity of the reign of Charles II. The court of the Merrie Monarch was filled with those fighting to get ahead, stay ahead, make an alliance or catch an eye — either that of the King or one of his powerful advisors or many mistresses. Your book drops us right into the center of the action.

Alice Verney is a young woman intent on achieving her dreams. Having left Restoration England in the midst of a messy scandal, she has been living in Louis XIV’s Baroque-mannered France for two years. Now she is returning home to England and anxious to re-establish herself quickly. First, she will regain her former position as a maid of honor to Charles II’s queen. Then she will marry the most celebrated duke of the Restoration, putting herself in a position to attain power she’s only dreamed of. As a duchess, Alice will be able to make or break her friends and enemies at will. But all is not as it seems in the rowdy, merry court …

Dear Ms. Thornton,

After attempting the first book in this trilogy, “The Defiant Mistress,” I was pretty sure I wouldn’t go any further with the series. Then I read a good review for this book. That coupled with Laura’s positive post about it made me decide to give this one a chance. After all, I could always take it back to Waldenbooks. I love Waldenbooks’ return policy. I’m glad to say though that I won’t be using it for this book.

Lady Desire Godwin has lived a reclusive life since her father died five years ago. Before that, she helped to nurse her mother during her mother’s terminal illness. So it comes to pass that she’s now thirty years old and still unwed, despite the fact that she’s a wealthy heiress. But Desire wants a husband and children and knows that she needs a man to protect her. Just last year, a nobleman attempted to abduct an heiress and the marriage laws are such that if he had succeeded, nothing her family could have done would have annulled the forced marriage. When a stranger climbs up onto the roof of her London home …

Dear Ms Thornton,

Though I’d never tried any of your books before, I took a chance on this one when I saw it was set in Restoration Era Venice and England. Alas, it turned out to be a style of novel I’ve lost all patience for. The hero and heroine are torn apart years before by the treacherous actions of a slavering villain overcome with lust for the heroine. For 8 years, the hero then believes the worst of the heroine. Then when they finally met again he accuses her, insults her, manipulates her into his power, treats her like dirt and ensures that anyone else who might have come to her rescue believes the worst of her. And has the nerve to still accuse her of lying to him and treating him badly once he knows the truth. Here’s the woman he claims to have loved yet he’ll more easily believe the lies told to him by someone he doesn’t even know rather than listen to her. Bastard. I read the first 100 pages then flipped to the last 50 to see if his …

Dear. Ms. Westin
In my never ending quest to find non Regency historicals, I snatched up your book. And while I’m not sorry I did, I didn’t find it to be everything I’d hoped for.
Our heroine, Lady Anne Gascoigne overhears her beloved fiance offering her virginity to randy King Charles II in the hopes of preferment at court and lucrative Royal land grants in the new world. Horrified, she flees from court. Her protective father decides that hiding her until he can get the marriage contracts annulled is the best plan and finds just the man for the job. Gentleman Johnny Gilbert is sprung from the hangman’s noose at the very last minute and offered the job of keeping Anne safe for two weeks in exchange for passage to Jamaica and a new life. Off they go to his forest retreat where she’s put to work earning her keep until the fateful night she thinks he’s conspiring against her with her fiance. She runs off to London with him trailing behind. Various adventures follow including a brush with the plague, Dutch spies, a wild storm in the channel, near …