Look First

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tommy and Philippa are both different from other girls and women. If they can just get together then everything would be OK. Except both are female and that makes a difference. The Wild Wynchesters strike again. This is a fun series with some different love stories. If you dislike F/F stories you should skip but know that you are missing out on a entertaining story.

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Nic Filler

The Rake Mistake by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Miss Philippa York want more than she has and what she does not want is a husband. We get to follow her as she spreads her wings with the Wild Wynchesters. They do catch a rake, Philippa does not get a husband and this adds to the world of the Wild Wynchesters. A nice read while waiting for the next full length book in the series.

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Read First

The Governess Gambit by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read this before The Duke Heist also by Erica Ridley. This sets up everything that happens in book one

The Wilde Wynchesters are a great group, each with their on story to tell. Erica did a great job giving each their own talent and while stilll leaving making it very plain that they are a family. Fun romp and a quick and easy read.


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Number 11

<Ten Days with a Duke by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Who is the Duke this time? Does not take long to meet him and to see who someone might be afraid. Love the feud and how it is solved. Great main characters, interesting side characters and a fun plot.

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Fun But Different Family

The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun new group to follow. The Wild Wynchesters are a very unusual family. When a Duke has something that belongs to them they plan a heist. Of course parts of it go wrong and someone gets their heart broken then replied. A really fun group of characters with a lot of chances for future stories.

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Compromise Is The Way

One Night with a Duke by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan MacLean never returns to a town and this time is no exception. Then he meets the love of his life and he has to learn a new lesson. So does Angelia, the other half of the love of his life. What both have to learn is compromise. That is what leads to a great HEA.

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NIce Fit

Dawn with a Duke by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cute story with two people with who have interesting talents that mesh when they meet. The trouble comes when one pretends to be someone she is not. Wonderful chemistry with a well developed plot. Look for attraction and romance and finally a very nice HEA. A hard to put down story.

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


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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 341 - Never Say Duke by Erica Ridley

Never Say Duke by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So Far Theodore O’Hanlon is my favorite male character in the 12 Dukes of Christmas. However he is not the Duke in this story. That goes to a scene stealing cat named of course Duke. Duke is the reason that Theodore even meets Virginia setting the stage for them to fall in love. Are there problems? Yes some but they are very real feeling and do not keep the two apart for any time. A fun addition to the series.

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

The Fall of Io by Wesley Chu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked the first book but did not care that much for this one. If you took all the fight scenes out you would have a much shorter book and they really did not add much to the plot. In fact I am still trying to decide what the plot is. The ending left Ella in a new place and did not seem to have much left to talk about. For me this was a big disappointment.

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

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 325 - Wish Upon a Duke by Erica Ridley, Five Planes by Melissa Scott

Wish Upon a Duke by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another addition to this fun series. While the story if full of fun it also addresses a series problem. Gloria Godwin is ruled by her fears. She takes pretend trips but never leaves the safety of her village. Along came Christopher Pringle who is looking for a bride to travel the world at his side. Of course the two fall in love. I liked how Erica Ridley went about finding a solution to the problem the two faced. A fun read and a fun romance.

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


Five Planes: The Rule of Five Season 1 by Melissa Scott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have to admit - I was confused a lot of the time as I read this. Five Planes are pocket universes that humans have settled. There is travel between the five and each has its own flavor. There is a lot of world building, character development and back story. The story jumps between characters and planes. Most of this is build up to the next book in the series. The story just stops and I was left hanging. I will look for the next book to see just exactly where the plot is leading.

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

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 284 - Wind River Lawman by Lindsay McKenna, Lord of Vice by Erica Ridley

Wind River Lawman by Lindsay McKenna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While we are back in Wind River we are in a different location. I met the sheriff, Sarah Carter, in previous books but Dawson Callahan is a new characters. Both are really great characters. Dawson has the calm that Sarah needs and Sarah is the strong woman Dawson needs. This has it all. There is danger that through the two together, tension as Sarah is injured, and a budding and slow building romance. Great addition to the series.

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


Lord of Vice by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

These two are made for each other it just takes a lot to finally bring them together. I loved Bryony Grenville. She just was not typical of women in her time. Turns out that she is exactly what Maxwell Gideon needs. It was fun watching the two as they interacted. I very nice ending to the Rogues to Riches series.

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

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 253 - Artificial Condition by Martha Wells, Lord of Secrets by Erica Ridley

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I cannot get enough of Murderbot. Still wanting to know how and what he did when people died he is returning to the scene of the crime. Seems he cannot help himself on the way he is takes a job protecting some you people who have been robbed of their research. Of course they are in danger. He is mixed guarding them with finding his answers. His past action are part of a mystery as there is no mention of the place the deaths took place or that there were even deaths. This is a complete story wrapped up in just 95 pages. Now I am ready to see where Murderbot goes next and what he does when he gets there.

Lord of Secrets by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heath is know for protecting the secrets of the ton and now he want to reveal a secret. Who is the person drawing the caricatures. Eleanora Winfield is only helping out her family. When the two meet it is attraction for both but they know nothing can come of it. A nice outing with both characters yearning but looking like nothing can come of it. I liked both and was glad when Heath finally started thinking about his happiness instead of trying to be something he was not. Now if they can just get over Eleanora's art.

I received an ARC of the book.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 212 - Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas, Lord of Temptation by Erica Ridley

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Something is rotten in England and Ethan Ransom is following the trail to the traitors. Then the very lovely Dr. Garrett Gibson arrives on the scene and a wonderful night happens. That is not all. Garrett, who is the only female doctor in England, becomes a pawn to use agains Ethan. This uses the illegitimate son trope as part of the plot and it works very well. Now all the Ravenels are part of the story line as both legitimate and illegimate work together to save the day. Look for some very interesting disclosers that keep the romance in the story on track. A very good addition to the series.


Lord of Temptation by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On a personal note I did not like the cover on the book but did enjoy the story. Lord Hawkridge and Faith Digby have a past but not a very good one. Seems Hawk, at 18, cast her off with only a letter saying goodby 10 years ago. He felt he had good reason as he had just learned he was saddled with more debts than he could pay off in years. Now they have just crossed paths and the reunion has not been a happy one. Faith has a secret. That drives the story line. Both feel betrayed but both have at least one common goal. A nice addition to the Lords to Riches series.

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

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 123 - Lord of Night by Erica Ridley, Chain of Command by Frank Chadwick, Days Until Home by Mark Gardner

Lord of Night by Erica Ridley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Simon Spaulding lives in a world of black and white - that is until he meets Miss Dahlia Grenville. She brings him laughter and love where before there was none. The problem - Dahlia is not what and who she seems. I loved Simon and how he changes during the story. Dahlia brings out the best in many people and has enough love for several characters. I did think that there were parts of the book that could have been explored in more detail. Simon and his brother are one example. I also wondered how Dahlia's family reacted to she and Simon. Again I would have liked more action and less passive time in the two main characters heads but still a fun story. 

Chain of Command by Frank Chadwick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another very good addition to the Space Opera/Military Science Fiction world. Lieutenant Sam Bitka, U.S. Naval Reserve, is one step down from regular naval officers but finds that he has to step up to a command position. What happens is no surprise but it is very well presented. There are several very tense moments as an unexpected attack takes place and Sam and the fleet have to do the impossible. As fun read with interesting characters, good backstory and great world building.

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

Days Until Home by Mark Gardner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you like a book where anything that can go wrong does go wrong Days until Home is for you. The crew of the Kenwood have to deal with a little bit of every kind of danger starting with sabotage. The characters are interesting and the science sounds very real. An interesting book. I have to admit I got a little tired of all the disaster as I read the book. I was also still in the dark about some of the characters as the story ended.

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

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #94 - The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter, Lord of Pleasure by Erica Ridley, Love Me Again by Jaci Burton

The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What starts as revenge turns into something else entirely in the start to a new series. A Duke set on revenge and a woman already on the shelf find that there is something better when the two of them act together. A nice romp with some unexpected results. There is a mystery that has an unexpected ending. Fun start to the series.

Lord of Pleasure by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I often fuss about how much time Ridley spends in her characters heads (I call this passive writing). Not this time. There is enough dialog and action to keep even me happy. I loved both main characters. They wore masks in their daily lives and found they could only be themselves when they were masked and anonymous. It was fun to see how being themselves changed their lives. Look for humor, great dialog and fun secondary characters. All kept the book moving and me reading.


Love Me Again by Jaci Burton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What happens when you have a cute kid and a very large dog. Sometimes it brings two people together who separated years ago but really do belong together. Burton uses a familiar theme in a very entertaining way. Both Loretta Simmons and Deacon Fox have a history and when Loretta moves back to Hope they try to ignore each other. That cute kid and the very large dog keep that from happening. A nice story about second chances.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #91 -Lord of Chance by Erica Ridley, Catch a Tiger by the Tail by Eve Langlois, The Last Good Cowboy by Kate Pearce

Lord of Chance by Erica Ridley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Charlotte Devon is running from her past and Anthony Fairfax's running from his debt. The two have such different problems there is no way they should get together. Then they make the mistake of claiming to be married and forget that in Scotland that means they are married. I loved how they both found a way to make the marriage work while solving both of their problems. Anthony turned out to be more that just a very charming gambler and Charlotte learns that her birth does not define her. A nice story with interesting characters. My only problem with Ridley's writing is how long she spends inside her characters head with no outside interaction. More dialog to define the problems less time just thinking about them.

Catch a Tiger by the Tail by Eve Langlais
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You never know what will happen when you catch a tiger by his tail. Lulu finds out when she gets involved with Broderick. In this short story both Lulu and Broderick have secrets that lead to some laughs out loud moments. Broderick knows Lulu is his mate but she is human and just does not want to believe him even though she also feels the bond. There is enough world building and backstory to support the plot. The ending did make me wonder if there is a story for another character in the works. This is a nice short read. Pick it up for when you don't have time for a long books but need something to lighten your mood.


The Last Good Cowboy by Kate Pearce
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ry Morgan has finally had enough and he is back at the Morgan ranch to stay. His identical twin does not take it well and that adds to the tension in the story. Avery Hayes provides the romantic tension. She had a bad accident 7 years ago and does not see herself as being complete. Ry on the other hand does and now that he is home he is acting on the attraction that he felt before he left years ago. I really liked Ry. He is one of the good guys and his action reflect that. There is still the mystery from when his mother disappeared when he was 5 years old and some old stuff comes out in the book. Between the tension between Ry and his twin, Avery's lack of confidence, and trying to find what happened to Ry's mother this a cannot put down book. There is still one Morgan man and a new character ready for romance. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #76 - Holden by Delores Fossen, Death of a Ghost by M.C. Beaton, Romancing the Rogue by Erica Ridley

Holden by Delores Fossen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a new twist on the unexpected baby trope. Holden and Nicky have a history but not a good one. Seems that Nicky kept information to herself instead of sharing and almost got one of the Ryland men killed. As Nicky and Holden were starting a romance that stopped it in its tracks. Now a baby appears and it will take both Nicky and Holden to get to the bottom of who, what, when and where. The who has a lot of candidates and the other issues add to the twist and turns. A nice addition to the series. Once again it takes a baby or make that two to bring about an HEA.

Death of a Ghost by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hamish has been featured in 32 books so far and he is still looking for that prefect woman. I have not read these in order so I missed his latest. I only know about her because he manages to send her packing as the book begins. Now he is on the lookout again but a new mystery appears. What looked like one mystery was actually two and I was in the dark on who done it until the very last. Beaton always makes a Hamish book fun to read and Death of a Ghost was no execution.

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


Romancing the Rogue by Erica Ridley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What happens when you lose the one person who treated you like a person and how do you get them back. That is the problem for Daniel Goodenham, Lord North Barrows. Daniel comes across as very human. He messed up and has waited years to try to make right. I loved Miss Rebecca Bond. She has made a place for herself by staying out of sight and now that is no longer an option she is being very pro-active in finding a new place even though it means using Daniel to help. It was fun watching the two interact after years apart. They have a interesting journey before getting to their HEA.

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What Else I Read/Listened to in November 2015

Audio Books:

Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells - This is the second Prospero's War

Novel that I have listened to.  I love the characters.  Kate Prospero is a great strong female character who has demons of her own to overcome.  She is supported with a great team of Magic Enforcement colleagues.  Add a past love to the mix and the tension and danger just keep ramping up.  A fun book to listen to or to read.

Depth by Lev A.C. Rosen – This is a interesting mystery set in a

New York that has flooded as the water around the world got higher.  Now people live on the top floor of building that are flooded in the lower floors.  Simone Pierce is a complex and interesting character.  A Private Eye in New York she starts on a case that seems simple and just gets more and more complex.  There is betrayal, theft, murder and a hunt for the unusual.  Great characters and a nice mystery.  There are issues of friendship and trust added to the plot.  The world building is interesting with a new take on what happens if all the ice melts.

Books:

A Call to Duty (Book 1 of Maniticore Ascendant) by David

Weber and Timothy Zahn - A interesting story about how Manticore came to be the power they are in the Honor Harrington series.  This can be an introduction to both series but I really think fans of the Harrington series will be the main audience.

The Cowboy's Christmas Family by Donna Alward - A sweet Christmas story with two adorable twins. There is something that is holding both Maddy and Cole back. I saw the solution to Maddy's problem before it happened but it did not spoil the story. I like Alward's books. She does not disappoint and again she has written a really nice feel good romance,. I think I see the hook for the next book. If so it should also be a really good one.

A Pain in the Tuchis (A Ms. KaplanMystery #2) by Mark Reutinger -Rose and Ida are at it again. There is a dearth at the 

Jewish Home. Rose takes a a hand when foul play is suspected and the plot moves form there. Our detectives are senior citizens with a lot of life experience which they do not mind putting to work solving cases. This is book two in the series. There are some new characters and we learn a little more about the characters. There are quite a few Jewish words worked into the plot. I found them interesting even though they sometimes slowed the story down. The solution to the mystery was a big surprise to me. Fun story and great addition to the series.

Controlled Burn (Boston Fire #2) by Shannon Stacey – A nice love story filled with interesting characters.  Rick Gullotti keeps being told he is not the marrying kind.  Jessica Broussard has lived her life doing what her Father wants.  That changes when Jessica decides to go meet the grandparents on the other side of the country.  Things do not work as she expected and Rick is a big part of the reason.  Turns out being the marrying kind just needs the right two people.  Rick and Jessica are very strong main characters and a great cast of well-developed secondary characters supports them.  While this is book two it works as a stand-alone.

Reunion at Cardwell Ranch (Cardwell Cousins #4) by B.J. Daniels – Finally the last Texas Cardwell falls in love and stays in Montana.  If course he did not expect to fall at all and he really did not expect it to be with a cat burglar.  Look for the usual from Daniels’.  A lot of danger, an adventure, great characters and romance.  A nice ending to the Cardwell Cousins series.

A Call to Arms (Honorverse: Manticore Ascendant #2) by David Weber, Timothy Zahn, Thomas Pope – Travis Long was the main character in the first book in this series and once again we follow him into danger.  This series is a prequel and backstory for the Honor Harrington series.  I found parts of it a little slow and don’t think it would hold anyone’s interest unless they were a fan of the Honor Harrington series.  For fans it is a interesting look at Manticore before it became a star power.  The lead up to that is a the heart of the plot.  Somethings are settled but much is left to be revealed.

The Pirate’s Tempting Stowaway (the Dukes of War #6) by Erica Ridley – This is a novella and a fairly quick read.  The main characters are from two of the previous books.  Captain Blackheart and Clara Halton move from side character the stars of their own romance.  There is adventure, romance and danger as the two work toward their own HEA.  It can stand alone but will be much better if you have read the other books in the series.

What Else I Read in June of 2015

Books:

The Major's Faux Fiancee by Erica Ridley - The Major’s Faux Fiancee uses the false engagement as the main plot point.  The story develops from there.  It turns out that Daphane and Bartholomew both have things they need to learn about themselves.  Ridley does a great job developing the plot that leads up to each making the discovery they each need to live life to the fullest.  It makes for an interesting journey for both.

What does not take long is each discovering that they want the engagement to be real.  Of course neither will tell the other keeping the tension high and the romance at a simmer.  It was nice to meet the characters from the previous stories.  This is part of The Dukes of War series but will stand-alone.  For more fun pick up the other books if you have not already read them.

Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh - While this is Aden and Zira’s story it also sets the political stage for future books.  There are some new characters and a new leopard pack.  RainFire shows up early in the book and Remi the alpha looks like a great new main character.  Look for JoJo who steals the show from everyone else.  There are also many new and unexpected changes for the Arrows.  This is book 14 in the series and it looks like there could be that many more. 

Knight's Shadow by Sebastian De Castell - I loved Traitor’s Blade book one in the Greatcoat’s series.  Knight’s Shadow did not disappoint.  Just like book one Knight’s Shadow was full of surprises.  This is an action driven series and the action is non-stop.  So are the surprises.

There is the same cast of characters lead by Falcio Val Mond and the acition revolves around each.  Some are what they seem but some provide some of the surprises in the plot.  About the plot – some things have been revelaled but there is much that is left for future books.  The danger is not over and the tension is still building.  This is a four book series so there is more to come for Falcio and the Greatcoats.

Forget Me Not by Erika Marks - What happens when your writing career is not what everyone expected? Mallory Reynolds has just found out. It puts her back in the same town as Josh Loveless, the one she left behind. Or was it the one who did not fight for her. A nice sweet romance about second chances. Some sex but not too much. More about how you feel about decisions you made years ago.

Kiss Me by Susan Mallery -  What happens when you mix someone who tries to save everyone with someone who really needs saving.  Well if you put them on a ranch, mix in tourists and a cattle drive you get romance.  Zane Nicholson was mentioned in the previous Fools Gold book and Phoebe Kitzke is a new character.  They should not be a mix.  Zane is a down to earth rancher and Phoebe talks to the animals.  She does admit that they do not talk back.  They are both great characters and it turns out that they are a perfect mix.  Since the setting is a cattle drive on a ranch there are not that many previous Fools Gold characters but there are several set ups for more stories.

Once Upon a Cowboy by Maggie McGinnis - This is the third Whisper Creek book I have read and this time it is Jessalyn Alcott’s time to find romance.  I loved both Jessalyn and Cole Driscoll.  Jessalyn has a secret.  In fact she has several and we get to see them in flashbacks.  Cole has always been a player but for some time he has been ready to settle  down.  He realizes that Jess has something in her past that scares her and he is taking it very slow.  This is a very good story about how the past can affect the future.  It also speaks to the kind of abuse that some women suffer.  A great addition to the series and all the characters at Whisper Creek.

The Silver Ships by Scott Jucha - This is the authors first published story and it shows great promise.  The story starts with a familiar theme. From there it develops into its own original movement.  I could see the planning.  The plot is very well developed and the characters are interesting.  It is a tension filled and character driven.  This is the start of a series and while there is the start to a solution to the danger there is much more to be done.  The book ends on a tease. I am waiting for the next books to see how the adventure will continue.

The Silver Ships is self-published.  There were places where I felt it needed additional editing.  Some things needed more attention and some things could have been cut.  Even so I enjoyed reading it.

Wicked Ride by Rebecca Zanetti – I loved the Sin Brother series by Zanetti and when I saw she was starting a new series I had to give it a try.  What I didn’t know was that this is a spin-off from another series.  Once again there is a strong alpha male and a very strong female who strike sparks and lust when they meet.  The plot centers around a new drug on the street, a drug that is killing people. The two main characters are Alexandra and Kellach and both are trying to find the source of the drug.  However they are often working at cross purposes.  While this is book one in Realm Enforcers the back story and world building was done in a previous series.  Zanette does a good job of filling in the blanks but there were times I knew I was missing something.  Wicked Ride does stand alone but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous series.

Audio Books:

Twelve Days By Alex Berenson – John Wells has 12 days to stop a war.  This is book #9 in the series and the first one I have listened to or read.  This is a true series where one book follows the next with a cliffhanger ending.  Set in the present there is a lot that could really happen.  Expect non-stop action and lot of tension and some interesting characters.  The book just ends without letting the reader guess what will happen next.  I will find out in the next book which is not out yet.

Dirty Magic (Prospero’s War #1)  by Jaye Wells – A great start to a new series.  The world building works right into the plot, the characters are developed and interesting and everything builds on back-story and previous relationships.  The danger and tension build as the story progresses.  Some things are solved and some things are left for the next books. 

I loved the characters and their interactions.  This is trilogy so I will get to see more of them and more action and danger.