Review: When a Scot Ties the Knot (Castles Ever After #3)

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for a historical romance. Especially one with a smart, unconventional heroine. This one was good stuff. Funny and sweet.

Madeline grew up shy and more interested in drawing than in men. To avoid being paraded throughout the London season, she made up a lover. A Scottish Officer, no less. And wrote herself fake letters and sent them to this fake person. But, wait! He's real. And he's gotten her letters over the years, and comes to find her after the war ends. What's a girl to do? Well, since he's handsome and sexy and brave, she falls for him. He falls for her. And they all lived happily ever after. Or did they? Read it yourself to find out--I'm no book spoiler!

If you like smart female leads with spirit, you will like this book. Enjoy.



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Review: The Dancing Master

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It all started with a romance reading challenge. I doubt I ever would have checked this book out of the library otherwise. And I liked it, because I am a sucker for a HEA.

Alec is a dancing and fencing master. I guess those go together because they both take grace and rhythm. He moves with his family to the Regency England version of the town from Footloose. Not kidding. Dancing is not allowed, and Alec is blackballed, beaten, and harassed at every turn. Julia, the rebellious, beautiful Julia, is the Ariel in this story. It's about the small-mindedness of small towns, and God, and change. And everybody cuts Footloose at the end, so it made me happy. 3 stars.

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Romancing the Duke (Castles Ever After #1)

Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. It was right up my alley, though. Historical with a strong female lead. Nothing turns me off faster than a sniveling, insecure woman who can't function without a man.

This was a good one. Semi-fairy tale world with some realism thrown in. Issy is alone in the world after the death of her father, when she is bequeathed a castle from a family friend. The current occupant, Duke Ransom, had no idea his castle had been sold by his solicitors. Hilarity ensues as they both stubbornly refuse to budge. And it's a romance, so you just know they will fall in love by the end. But how they get there is good--really good, actually. Give this one a read.



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Love in the Highlands

02 Love in the Highlands by Barbara Cartland

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


More eye-rolling nonsense from Dame Barbara, this time with a battle royale between a Prince and a Marquis. Oh, calamity! Suspend your disbelief for a moment and imagine a plot where Queen Victoria (the Queen with a capital "Q") sets up a marriage with English lady and a Balkan Prince. And Lady Lavina thinks this is ridiculous, so she sets up a fake relationship with a Marquis. Hilarity ensures, because Dame Barbara is the master at contrivance and fake relationships that turn real.

And they all lived happily ever after, except the Prince, because he was a bad person who really needed a bath. The end.



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A Call of Love

101. a Call of Love by Barbara Cartland

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Another stinker by Barbara Cartland. I--must enjoy--the torture because--I--keep reading them! Her stuttering heroines make my brain bleed. I read them because they remind me of growing up. My mom had all of them and they were my first romance novels, and I still love historical romances because of these books. My 12-year-old self devoured them. However, this storyline was a stinker. Dumb girl, sexist men, and a ridiculous kidnapping plot. D- for this one.



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Storming the Castle (Fairy Tales #1.5)

Storming the Castle by Eloisa James

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


"And they all lived happily ever after." Just like I like my romances. I'm a sap. Don't judge.

Cute follow up to A Kiss at Midnight--this time starring Wick. We have a slightly modern woman in Phillipa Damson, running from a marriage looming in her future to make her own way. She runs right into the nearby castle to assist the princess with her ailing infant. Luckily for everyone, Phillipa's uncle is a skilled, if unconventional, physician, and she uses what she's learned from him to save the baby. Wick, like everyone, is impressed by this undercover lady posing as a nanny. Misunderstandings and flirtations abound, and we come to the conclusion we knew was coming and hoped for. Like all fairy tales, they all seem to live happily ever after.



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Fascination in France

114. Fascination in France by Barbara Cartland

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Oh Barbara---your stilting---prose makes--my head--hurt.

Silly, fast read about two young ladies who are sent to a rich man's house, one to be married off in the interest of a business partnership. The other sent to chaperone her cousin. Expect a classic Cartland switch-a-roo with the Duc falling for the other one unexpectedly. Yes, there will be perils for our young heroine. She will be in danger, but will pluckily save the day and everyone will live happily ever after. But if you weren't looking for a HEA, you wouldn't have read a Barbara Cartland romance.

Plus for the book being short, and the main characters not horrible in the end. Minus for the dumb cousin who was annoying and nothing but a plot device.



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The Saint and the Sinner

The Saint and the Sinner by Barbara Cartland

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Typical Barbara Cartland, with overly drawn dramatic characters and ultra-tame romance. I loved reading these when I was 12 or 13. Many hours were spent pouring over my mom's copies, but I don't remember reading this one.

Poor Pandora is a complete Mary Sue. A wide-eyed orphan with so much family loyalty it is pouring out her young, innocent ears. Enter the dashing bad-boy cousin, the Earl. He has a chip on his shoulder about his family inheritance as deep as the ocean. Poor little rich boy! Pandora drops into his lap and shows him the error of his ways, and they live happily ever after.

Barbara almost made me snap with the weird phrasing and dialogue for Pandora. She - kept talking - like this. Was she - slow - in the - head? Did she - have a terrible - stutter? Unsure what the deal was, but I nearly threw the book down in frustrating a few times. At least it was a quick read.



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