3 1/2
star Review
By not delving into
some details of Adam and Katharine's past this lost out on the potential to be
a 5 star rating. I was so looking forward to Adam's story and in many aspects
it didn't disappoint. He was a kind, loving man with that little bit of swagger
that all hero's need but his back story that had been mentioned in the 2
previous books was simply glossed over. There was clearly sadness and pain when
Adam lost his wife and child in labor but I was just told that by the author, I
never felt it. On top of that the drama of his past was resolved simply with a
5 minute conversation with a midwife. I missed out on the who, what, when,
where and how. I would have been fine with that if the same exact thing didn't
happen with Katharine's past as well. These two were meant to be together to
help one another overcome the tragic losses they faced in life but the tragedy
but their past suffering never came to fruition so a big chuck of the story
fell flat.
All that being said, I love this author and would read this book again and any
subsequent books of hers, but my expectations of Adam's story must have too
high to attain.
Jennifer Haymore Highland Awakening
4 star Review
I have found this to be a bit difficult to review. To start, I love Jennifer Haymore, she is an auto buy author for me. I also thought the heat level in this was smoking hot (in a good way). There were a few things though that had me really wavering on whether I grade on a curve or base it on the flaws I couldn't overlook.
I'm still deciding and by the end I hope to have my rating.
I loved the hero Cam but one of the first scenes is of him sneaking into Esme's room while she was sleeping which had me viewing him more in a creepiness light. It wasn't even an alpha male characteristic it was too 'stalkerish' for that. My guess is that it was added to show his fear of being like his father but that never materialized for me. From the first time they met I got the impression he was going to do anything to marry her and then there was one point where he wrestled with not being able to have forever with her due to his upbringing. Then in a flash he was back to orchestrating ways to have her as a wife. I never was sold on what was supposedly his major dilemma. Oh, but then there was the heat between these two (the heat, my god the heat) which I hate to admit more than made up for some negative elements. The last book in the series was titled Highland Heat but that was more appropriate for this one! I'll end on that note...4 stars.
Jane Goodger How to Please a Lady
3 Star Review
My favorite book from this author is the Mad Earl's Daughter. I think part of my review is based on comparing this romance to that one. The only thing I can pinpoint for my dissatisfaction was that the heroine Rose came off as extremely snobbish all the way to the end of the book. I loved the set up and how the reader was introduced to the characters as they met again 5 years after escaping to America together. We were then taken back to the set up of what led them on their journey. This was a darker novel but so well written and full of depth. I just feel that there had to be a way to justify how Rose came off as looking down on Charles (Charlie) Avery. Blame it on her youth, the horrible things she had gone through in life, something. Not only did I not get a reason for it, I never felt she ever saw Charlie as her equal. It seemed he was always in the servant role to her, expected to satisfy her in every way. There should have been more time (or any time) spent on her acknowledging how much Charlie accomplished but instead she continued to focus on herself (her horse Moonshine and being excited over her favorite flowers on all his designs). This could have been so much better with just a few tweaks on Rose.
Amy Sandas Luck is No Lady
4 Star Review
Absolutely lovely! Amy Sandas had won me over with her debut series and although this book was a departure in terms of the heat level, she more than made up for it in the romance between Emma, passionate bookkeeper by day, loyal family spinster by night and Roderick, the first gambling proprietor I have read about who was without the rakish characterization. There were so many subtle nuances of passion woven throughout the story (the simply tied cravat and the wager over the hands) that made this novel thoroughly enjoyable.
While I was eager to know the about the other characters future story lines, it did not detract from the hero and heroine (which happens often in the first book of a series). Yes, there were times where you had to suspend belief with situations that took place in this particular time period but isn't that what a romance novel is all about? Simply delightful.
