Ever His Bride by Linda Needham

Read For:

Royal Romance Challenge

A to Z Reading Challenge

Synopsis:

THE DARKEST HEART His looming form blocks the firelight. His voice is like midnight fog, shivering along her skin. Yet Felicity Mayfield must marry hard, cold Hunter Claybourne, or go to debtor's prison. Boldly, she proposes a bargain to the wealthy financier: she'll become his wife in name only for one brief year-if he allows her the freedom to continue living an independent life. Surely her newspaper scribblings are a matter of indifference to him. THE BRIGHTEST LOVE He never suspected a wife would be such a nuisance. It was supposed to be a simple business arrangement. Instead, she has invaded his cavernous home-rearranging the furniture, winning over his servants, blinding him with sunlight. Her constant Presence is unsettling, her vanilla scent everywhere, her skin a soft temptation. Suddenly it seems only right that she would wear his ring...and share his bed. After all, she is his wife. Yet even as Felicity opens a chink in Hunter's heart, her expose of the scandalous workhouses threatens to uncover his darkest secret, forcing him to choose between his hard-won empire and the miracle of love.

My Review:

I loved this book and finished it in a day. The storyline in set in Victorian England at the start of Industrialization. The hero, Hunter, is a financial wizard, but a bit of a "gorgeous" Scrooge. His entire life revolves around making money and keeping it. He has a vast fortune, but lives like a hermit to save a buck. The story starts when he has the heroine, Felicity, put in a sponging house. Her Uncle fraudulently sold 30 thousand dollars worth of Felicity's railroad shares to Hunter but he wasn't allowed to by law until she turns 25, and she's only 20 now. The Uncle, ran away to America, leaving Felicity holding the bag. So Hunter tells her: marry me for a year, when I can get the shares by law, or I'll send you to debtors prison. After a year, they will divorce.

Hunter is very much a "tortured hero" which I'm a sucker for anyway, but very "alpha" as well, which I normally dislike. Fortunately he starts behaving halfway through the book. Felicity is a wonderful heroine-very strong willed, intelligent and forthright.

The sexual tension is wonderful as are the love scenes which are very "spicy". Great secondary characters, high drama and a solid backstory makes this a five star book for me.

Recommended!

Red, Red Rose by Marjorie Farrell

Read For:

ROR Fall Reading Challenge

Royal's Romance Reading Challenge

RYOB Challenge

Synopsis:

In Regency England, the conventional daughter of an army major finds herself rescued from roving bandits by a dashing officer from General Wellington's staff. But even as the officer courts the young lady, he is haunted by his status as a bastard son to the Earl of Farringdon, and considers himself unworthy of her affections. When his half-brother dies, he is overcome with grief and allows himself to find solace in her arms. Will her love inspire the necessary courage within him to claim his birthright and his place among the aristocracy?.

My Review:

a bit slow going but still entertaining. Much more of a novel about the hero, Valentine, than a Romance. Regency, but the characters are involved in the war and most of the story is set on the frontlines. The heroine is the daughter of a Major who "follows the drum" along with her mother. Medium romance and love scenes pretty tame. 3 stars.

I feel the need to add this: I was reading this book when we had to put my father in Hospice so the book may be honestly BETTER than I thought, but I was so preoccupied with the situation with my dad that I didn't enjoy the book as much as I could have.

Unfinished-Royal's Romance Reading Challenge

To join go HERE:

For this challenge you will need to read seven books in six months. To complete the challenge the title or author's name will need to begin with the letters R-O-M-A-N-C-E and must be classified as a romance novel (this includes as romance sub genre including contemporary, historical or paranormal).

To join us in the challenge, put a post on your blog saying you're participating in the challenge and the letters R-O-M-A-N-C-E down the post ready for you to put up your book list. Now you can post a suggested list or you can just put up the letters in preparation. You can change the your choice at any time, books can crossover with any other challenges but must be reviewed to be counted. Don't forget to put up the Button for this challenge in your side bar with a link to Royal Reviews. This challenge begins on June 1st and finishes on November 30,2009, although you can sign up anytime.

My list:

R-Red, Red Rose by Marjorie Farrell 3 stars.
O-
M-
A-
N-
C-
E-Ever His Bride by Linda Needham-5 stars