New Series: (The Brides of Bellaire Gardens #1)

The Scoundrel's Daughter by Anne Gracie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Two great female main characters. Each with secrets in their past and each confronts them when they come out. Both also find their HEA. Gracie writes really interesting characters and put them to the test. First is a new series it is off to a really great start.

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A Sweet Story

The Christmas Bride by Anne Gracie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun story that is quick and easy to read. A spin off from the chance sisters this features one of the men from previous books. Of course he has a problem and it has to be solved. Charlotte Underwood is a new problem and she is part of the solution. Great characters - a chance to reconnect with the Chance Sisters and a sweet Christmas romance.

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The Duke is Back

Marry in Scarlet by Anne Gracie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Duke of Everingham is back and he wants what he wants. Just so happens that Lady Georgiana Rutherford does not want what he wants - to marry her. A fun romp using familiar tropes in a interesting story that grabs your attention and does not let go. Great addition to the Marriage of Convenience series.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #196- Mary in Scandal by Anne Gracie, A Rogue of Her Own by Grace Burrowes

Marry in Scandal by Anne Gracie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

War does strange things to people and in Marry in Scandal Edward Galbraith is living proof. I really like Anne Gracie's books and the characters here are very busy keeping the story moving. Edward is frozen in time and keeps any feeling he has locked down. Lady Lily Rutherford finds herself on the brink of ruin through no fault of her own. Of course Edward moves in to save her. This is a interesting story line as Lily moves to save Edward just as he saved her. There are some side characters who are critical to the story and there is a glimpse of characters from Gracie's previous series. All in all a very good story.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Look for an April release for Marry in Scandal.


A Rogue of Her Own by Grace Burrowes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Miss Charlotte Windham is the last Windham sister left unmarried and the pressure is on. Lucas Sherbourne is not at all who anyone expected but because her uncle found them kissing they wed. I loved how Lucas just kept feeling below Charlotte while Charlotte is the last persons to judge someone by their class. There is a underlying story from Charlotte's pass that adds some tension to the plot. Of course characters from past books help develop the story and add interest. The romance between Sherbourne and Charlotte is not the norm. Lucas was quick to realize what Charlotte really needed and it was not the norm. A nice end to the Windham's and their stories.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

The book will be released in March.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #83 - Marry in Haste by Anne Gracie, Saving the Space Pirate by Nina Croft, The Soldier's E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton

Marry in Haste by Anne Gracie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Annie Gracie has a new series, Marriage of Convenience. I loved her first series and had high hopes for this one. I was not disappointed. While I knew what was going to happen between Major Calbourne Rutherford and Miss Emmaline Westwood Gracie took her time and did a wonderful job of setting the scene. There was not a rush to marry. Instead the story line took its time introducing both the main and the very important secondary characters. I knew a lot about the Major, his sisters and Emmaline before the marriage happened. A interesting story with great hooks for future books in the series. A nice additional touch was getting to see one of the Chance sisters from the first series.


Saving the Space Pirate by Nina Croft
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally the last part of Ruby's story. Once again she and Killian have a very hard time even staying alive. Ruby sticks to her guns about slavery and it gets her into even more trouble. A nice romp for both Ruby and Killian and of course the start of an HEA. I say that because there could be more for Ruby and Killian. I will just have to wait and see.


The Soldier's E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Talk about two who should not wind up together it is Ella and Austin. I really liked Ella. She was not really into the Hollywood hype and when things went south she headed north and right into Austin's life. Austin just wanted to keep the ranch in the family but marring Ella turned out to be different than he expected. A great coming to terms with real life story.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #30 - The Summer Bride by Anne Gracie, Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt, An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards

The Summer Bride by Anne Gracie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have followed the Chance Sisters since their first book and have wondered how Gracie was going to give Daisy an HEA like her sisters. Unlike the other three sisters Daisy is not a lady and never will be. What she has always been is a wonderful fashion designer and in The Summer Bride she finally get her dream, her own store. What else she gets is a very handsome man who wants her for his bride. It is great fun to see what happens after that. A really great ending to the Chance Sisters series. It can be read as a stand alone but for maximum enjoy start with book one, The Autumn Bride.


Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hippolyta Royle has a problem. She has been kidnapped and will be forced into marriage if she does not get away. Enter Matthew Mortimer. When Hippolyta does escape Matthew gives her a ride in his coach helping her get away. From there on it is a fun story full of mixups and finally romance. Hippolyta is very rich and Matthew just became the owner of an estate full of debt. A match made in heaven if only they two can get on the same page. This is a novella with very well developed characters and great action. A must read of Maiden Lane fans and a good place to start if you are new to the series.


An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set in 1818 An Untimely Frost is the first book in a new series. Richards did a great job of integrating the history of the time with the back story of the main character while keeping the mystery at the heart of the story front and center. I loved the fact that the main character was a very strong woman who could fake it until she make it using her skills as a actress in her new career as a Pinkerton Operative. Look for a character who is mostly in the background and whose backstory is mostly a mystery. That is a set up for the two to work together in future stories. A very good start to a new mystery series set in a interesting and dangerous time.

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Teaser Tuesday - June 30, 2015

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhyme.  
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:"
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book. 

The Tease:

"You're going to make a pet of that?"
"Why not?"
"Because it is the ugliest little brute I've ever seen."
Page 59

From The Spring Bride by Anne Gracie, the third book in the Chance Sisters Romance series.  Just started it and it looks to be a very good one.
  

Stacking the Shelves - June 13, 2015

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their shelves. 

Purchased:



Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh

Only A Promise by Mary Balogh

The Spring Bride by Anne Gracie

Mehndi Designs Adult Coloring Book by Marty Noble - Not the cover but one of the designs I colored with gel pens.




From the Library:



Garden of Lies by Amanda Quick

Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey








For Review from Goodreads:

Dark Horse by Michelle Diener

Linesman by S.K.Dunstall

The Silver Ships by Scott Jucha

Brothers in Valor by H. Paul Horsinger

The Winter Bride (Chance Sisters #2) by Anne Gracie

Historical Romance

From Goodreads:

Award-winning author Anne Gracie delivers the second in her enticing new series about four young women facing a life of destitution—until a daring act changes their fortune and turns them each into a beautiful bride…

Damaris Chance’s unhappy past has turned her off the idea of marriage forever. But her guardian, Lady Beatrice Davenham, convinces her to make her coming out anyway—and have a season of carefree, uncomplicated fun.

When Damaris finds herself trapped in a compromising situation with the handsome rake Freddy Monkton-Coombes, she has no choice but to agree to wed him—as long as it’s in name only. Her new husband seems to accept her terms, but Freddy has a plan of his own: to seduce his reluctant winter bride.

Will Damaris’s secrets destroy her chance at true happiness? Or can Freddy help her cast off the shackles of the past, and yield to delicious temptation?

If you have not read The Autumn Bride you need to read it first to really understand some of the characters and their actions.  The Autumn Bride had several unusually characters and actions that are important but not really explained in The Winter Bride.

In The Winter Bride Gracie uses a well-used trope, a pretend betrothal.  Neither Freddy or Damaris want to marry.  The betrothal is just to keep Freddy’s parents off of his back about marrying.  Of course they fall in love with each other but not before they spend a lot of time with each other and face several problems together.

I loved both Freddy and Damaris.  Both have things in their past that make them wounded characters.  Damaris has something she did in her past of survive and Freddy is blamed for something that was just an accident.   Both things made it easy for them to accept the other and their actions.

I found The Winter Bride to be a bit slow at the beginning.  I was also looking for a plot as unique as the first book.  That was not there.  It was an enjoyable plot but not as interesting as The Autumn Bride.  There is a lot of build up to the actual story.  Some of that action seems to be a set up for the next book.   Damaris is the second sister to marry so there are two more to go.  I will be watching for the next two books.

Berkley Sensation published The Winter Bride by Anne Gracie in 2014. 

Waiting On Wednesday: The Winter Bride

 

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature sponsored by Breaking the Spine.  It is a great way to share upcoming releases.

I am waiting on The Winter Bride (A Chance Sisters Romance)  by Anne Gracie.  I loved the first book and have high hopes for this one.