Review of All's Fair In Love and Seduction

I have never before read Beverly Kendall, and I saw several of the bloggers that I follow talking about, and highly praising, All's Fair In Love and Seduction. Me being me, and always on the search for a great new read, I took their advice and invested in this book. Let me say, wow!

Our hero, Viscount Derek Crestwell is a dream come true for our heroine, Miss Elizabeth Smith. A chance encounter at a ball leads to a kiss in the gardens, which goes against very social rule, that is noticed by one of the ton's most influential gossips. Hoping to avoid scandal and her families ruin, she must present a fiance by the end of the Season.


Derek is reluctant to marry, certain he has been played by a master who only wants his money and title. He sets out to ruin Elizabeth, rather than offer her a ring and betrothal. Let the seductions begin!

This novella was a fun read. I did not want to put it down; I wanted to see what was going to happen next. Derek and Elisabeth have a good chemistry that explodes into hot desires. Dialogue that keeps you smiling throughout, Ms. Kendall takes you into the story with ease. If you are looking for a short story to enjoy, I recommend All's Fair In Love And Seduction.

All's Fair in Love & Seduction (The Elusive Lords, Book 2.5)(7/3/2011)
by   Beverley Kendall

This book is available in e-book format and is FREE right now on Kindle and Nook!

Leave me a comment here and let me know what you're thinking so far!

Reader Review of The Deed

 

Don't put off living to next week, next month, next year or next decade. The only time you're ever living is in this moment.

Unknown

Review of When Passion Rules

     I sat down over a week ago, excitement running through me, to read the latest novel by Johanna Lindsey, When Passion Rules, a historical romance. Ms. Lindsey was the first "adult" romance author I had ever read, following her characters as they moved from story to story beautifully. Always entertaining me.
     I had a very difficult time reading When Passion Rules, it failed to, I don't know, suck me into the story? That sounds right. The story is this:

       An infant Princess Alana is kidnapped by an assassin who has a chance of heart. Eighteen years later, the assassin, now her beloved "Uncle" Poppie reveals the truth about her life. They load up the coaches and travel to her homeland. 

       Enter our hero, Christoph Becker, a nobleman who is now Captain of the Palace Guard. Christoph is a man with "barbaric" tendencies. His disbelief of Alana's claim drives the story.

     I hesitate to go into the story more than this, fearful that I might give too much away, so I will just continue on with my review. I found the characters very flat and unimpressive. Alana and Christoph failed to draw me into their world, no fault of their own, I just think that their story was lackluster. When Passion Rules failed to rule me.

When Passion Rules

by Johanna Lindsey

• Pub. Date: June 2011
• Publisher: Gallery Books
• Sold By: SIMON & SCHUSTER
• Format: NOOK Book (eBook) , 400pp
• Sales Rank: 2,556
• File Size: 3913 KB
• ISBN-13: 9781451628388
• ISBN: 1451628382

Things I am Thankful for

I just wanted to share a quick post on this Thanksgiving Day of what I am thankful for.

The start of my list would be my faith in my God. He may not be the same one that you believe in, but I think there is only one, but He wears many hats to fit the beliefs of the individual follower. There is not right or wrong God, there is only God.

I am thankful for my family.  My parents who raised me, who give me all the love and support they have. Who made me into who I am today. My brother and his family; even though there are miles between us, I know that you are there when I need you.

My children.  I am doing the best I can by you, supporting you always, but stepping back enough to let you make mistakes and, hopefully, learn from them. Knowing without any shadow of a doubt how much I love you.

My job.  As a middle school teacher it can be challenging to look at this and think "thankful?!?" but that is what I am. I love every aspect of teaching, knowing that these kids will take something away from my class. Watching them change from pre-teens into beautiful men and women. Being lucky enough to love these kids every day, knowing that I am loved in return. The beautiful people I work with. men and women of amazing faith who come together every day for the love of the job. Another family.

Dreams. If it were not for my dreams, I don't think I would even be sitting here with my third blog being written. I dreamt of being a singer, and fulfilled it by singing the National Anthem, twice, at the home town minor league baseball games. I acted in my elementary school musicals, again, twice. I have danced, badly, long ago, but I danced. Now I am writing. Mostly about books, but today about what I am thankful for.

There are mountains of little things that I am grateful for, too many to address here, as I know most people will agree.

And lastly, but if not for this one, I do not know if I would have the above mentioned things to be thankful for, the men and women who are away from their families. I am thankful every day for these soldiers who sacrifice so selflessly so that I may enjoy the things I am grateful for.

So, on this Thanksgiving Day,
know that I am
grateful to you for
indulging me this small opportunity to write.

What about My Teen?

I'm sitting here in my room trying to think about what I want to write about today. I was planning to sit down on Tuesday and create a second attempt, failed on that due to exhaustion. No, not too much partying from the night before. My mind was rested and ready to roll and write last night, but, again, failure (I had to watch DWTS to see Hope Solo get voted off). So here I sit on this cool Wednesday night, relaxing while I write my thoughts down for whomever to read.

No, that's not right. My objective in this is to try my hand as a book blogger. I've had the pleasure of reading many of my Romance Biggest Winner competitors blogs, and using what I have learned from all my female Yoda's, well, if I can convince a friend why they should, or should not, read a book, then I will be able to say, "I can, and DID, do that!"

I realize that not all of my friends go for the same type of books that I enjoy, and that is completely okay. I will try to branch out of my favorite genres and authors to expand not only my library, but yours, too. One cool thing, in my opinion, is that since I do teach middle school, I keep age appropriate books in my class, and I will try to incorporate some of the YA titles into this as well. I can take this blog in which ever direction I choose to; I am the one writing it.

I mentioned in my first attempt on Monday that I have two kiddos. I have an 18 year old high school senior son who I lovingly call "Punk" because of his Halloween birthday.  He is, at this point in his life, a book hater. My other light is my 13 year old, almost in high school daughter, who I will refer to as "Bugs."  Bugs was just like her brother, she hated to read, until I found the right author and book series. I have now created a monster who has one -upped me in the Dark Hunter series by Sherrilynn Kenyon.

Mrs. Kenyon has written countless great characters, but I believe the one that set the ball in motion for Bugs was when I brow beat her into reading the first in Mrs. Kenyon's YA series, The Chronicles of Nick.  This series is focused around Nick Gautier, the central character who also plays a significant role in her adult Dark Hunter books.

In The Chronicles of Nick, we are able to see the interaction and introduction of multiple characters as teenagers. Nick is a high school student who has a rough life. His mother raises him single handily in New Orleans, and his father is in prison.  The majority of the remaining characters are all supernatural beings, and the interactions between all the characters is a fun, wacky, teenage world.

If you are looking for a different book to try and get your teen to enjoy, I can strongly recommend this series.

Infinity (Chronicles of Nick Series #1)

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

• Pub. Date: May 2010
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Sold By: ST MARTINS / MPS
• Format: NOOK Book (eBook) , 480pp
• Sales Rank: 3,925
• Age Range: Young Adult

• Series: Chronicles of Nick Series #1
• File Size: 1762 KB
• ISBN-13: 9781429928601
• ISBN: 1429928603

Invincible (Chronicles of Nick Series #2)

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

• Pub. Date: March 2011
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover , 432pp
• Sales Rank: 15,657
• Age Range: Young Adult

• Series: Chronicles of Nick Series #2
• ISBN-13: 9780312599065
• ISBN: 0312599064

Day 1, My First Blog!

Here we have a new date, 14 November 2011. Big deal, right? Well, to me, it is... kind of. You see, today is my birthday. That's right, I hit 41 today. I know my life is not "awesome" nor "amazing" but I have two great kids to show for these years. I have my loving parents, and my big brother and his family, too. I have a job that I absolutely love (well, most of the time) teaching middle school science. And some of the greatest, funniest, craziest friends around!

Then there is the flip side of the coin, married and divorced twice, yes, twice. The first was a 12 year attempt at forever, and the second was a 366 day long "What was I thinking?!?"  Turing 40 last year was no sweat, breezed through the process, but the party we had planned, that was ruined due to busted sewer pipes should have been a clue that that fortieth year would be a doozy! For some reason, my body decided to rebel this past year. A scary, different kind of headache lead to the discovery of an aneurysm which fabulous doctors operated on and clipped. Then we discovered how truly bad my eyes are; next on my list were cornea transplants (I have had one done so far).

You're probably wondering, WTH is this blog going to be about? Well, I'll tell you.  I have always wanted to create, but I am not a "crafty" person. I have always wanted to sing, but being shy about singing in front of strangers clams me up. I would love to write a book, a good, steamy, sexy, happily ever after book, but I do not think I have the works for this.

 I've decided to give blogging a try. About what? Well, those who can't write, read. I love to read! If I can get my hands on a good romance, I'll have it finished in a day, day and a half max when my schedule allows. So I have decided to write about whatever, but mostly about the books I am reading.

Now, you're wondering how am I different from all the other book bloggers out there? First of all, I'm a novice. Never done this before. Second? I am giving it a year. I want to try and do this for a year, for myself, to see if I can. I may suck. I may epically fail at this, but it is something I can check of the bucket list.

Whew!

What's first in my line up? I just finished reading Nora Robert's The Next Always. Set in modern day Boonsboro, Maryland, it is the first in a trilogy that follows the lives and loves of the three Montgomery brothers as they work together to renovate their town square by rehabbing an old building and turning it into a unique B&B.  Beckett, the family architect, flanked by his brothers Owen and Ryder, is our leading man who has been sweet on Clare Brewster, supported by best friends, Avery and Hope, since high school. A self -important villain, Sam.  And the charming Elizabeth "Lizzy" who haunts the Inn and tends to have fun at our heros expense.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a Happy Ever After!