Review: The Footman and I (The Footmen’s Club #1) by Valerie Bowman

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The Footman and I by Valerie Bowman

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

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Let the games begin…

Every fortune-hunting female in London is after the newly titled Earl of Kendall, but he’s intent on finding a wife whose heart is true. So, while drunkenly jesting with his friends in a pub one night, he has an idea—what if the ladies of the ton didn’t know he was a wealthy earl? All he has to do is pose as a servant at his friend’s summer country house party and make sure the guest list is full of beautiful, eligible debutantes. What could possibly go wrong?

May the best footman win.

Miss Frances Wharton is far more interested in fighting for the rights of the poor than in marriage, but her mother insists she attend a summer house party—and find herself a husband. Frances would rather wed a goat than the pompous man her mother has in mind, so in order to dissuade the would-be suitor, she vows to behave like a shrew. The only person she can be herself with is the kind, handsome footman she runs into at every turn. Their connection is undeniable, and the divide between them is no match for the passion they feel. But what will happen when Frances learns that the footman she adores is actually the earl she despises? In a game where everything is false, can they convince each other that their love is true? 

Wanting to be loved for himself and not his title turns into a bet among friends where they hide in plain sight as servants. I’m not the biggest fan of mistaken identity when it’s not an accident, but I did love the reason for this one. Not only was he getting to know her he was also learning about himself and how it is to be a servant.

Frances and Lucas can talk about politics and it’s clear there is a spark between them. When the truth came out about who he is and how bad her family wants her to marry I was holding my breath wondering how things would turn out. I did love the grand reveal to everyone and the ending.

Frances loves to discuss politics and she is determined to convince every lord not to vote for the upcoming employment bill and she won’t be held back by anyone. I wanted to love her, but her assuming what he was like and always needing to be right got on my nerves. I did love her reason for being against the bill though.

Lucas is super caring and loving and always wants to do what’s right. His heart was broken because of titles and now he fears it will happen again. I loved him from the start because he had good intentions and wasn’t like most men with titles.

Review: A Duke Will Never Do (The Spitfire Society) by Darcy Burke

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A Duke Will Never Do by Darcy Burke

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋💋💋1/2

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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Untouchables series comes your next Regency obsession: The Spitfire Society… Meet the smart, independent women who’ve decided they don’t need Society’s rules, their families’ expectations, or, most importantly, a husband. But just because they don’t need a man doesn’t mean they might not want one.

After failing on the Marriage Mart, Jane Pemberton has two choices: submit to her parents’ edict to marry their boring neighbor or become a self-declared spinster and take up residence in the official headquarters of the Spitfire Society. It’s really no choice at all, and Jane is eager to embrace her newfound independence. She soon finds an unconscious viscount on her doorstep and nurses him back to health. When he offers to compensate her, she requests payment in the form of private instruction of a scandalous and intimate kind.

Having spiraled into a self-destructive abyss following the murder of his parents, Anthony, Viscount Colton, physically recovers under the care of an alluring spitfire. But it is her charm and flirtatiousness that soothes his soul and arouses his desire—until an extortion scheme forces him to face the sins of his past. Now, to save the woman who’s given him everything he lost and more, he’ll have to pay the ultimate price: his heart.

I was hooked from page one and couldn’t put it down all night. Secrets and scandals surround both of them and that makes for a very different kind of courtship. They both have a charm about them that makes you love them instantly and you never know what they are going to get up to. They give each other strength and passion to overcome anything that is thrown at them.

I never got close to predicting who was behind the extortion or rumor and was on pins and needles wanting to know who and why. It’s a journey of letting go of guilt and learning to feel along with letting go of the past. The ending was perfect and I didn’t want it to end.

Jane caused a scandal by declaring herself a spinster so why not be even more scandalous and enjoy the pleasures she’s heard about. I loved her right away because she saw the hurt inside him and wasn’t going to let him keep spiraling out of control. She did what no one else could do and pulled him from his guilt and helped him to feel again.

Anthony has been trying to drink his guilt and grief away, but Jane brings a new light into his life. He doesn’t want to love her, but he can’t be without her. I loved seeing him learn to let go of the past and that he is a good man. He realized that he could survive a scandal with Jane at his side.

This series get better with each book!

Review: Ladies Prefer Adventure (Fortune and Glory #1) by Sandra Sookoo

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Ladies Prefer Adventure by Sandra Sookoo

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋💋💋1/2

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Fulfilling a lifetime mission is much more fun when romance is woven into the adventure.

The Honorable Charlotte Blakely is closing in on the actual location of the Veil of Veronica, carrying on her beloved late grandfather’s quest. Satisfying his last wish is all she’s ever wanted from life… until the possibility of a courtship with the handsome English ambassador to Rome made itself known. But does love mean giving up her hard-won independence?

Mr. Everett Desmond spends far too much time behind a desk and entertaining dignitaries. He thought that was what he wanted from life… until an intriguing lady gave him a taste of adventure. But treasure-hunting comes at a price and, thanks to a failed engagement, he’s leery of romance.

Balancing each leg of the quest with the heat and passion simmering between them keeps Charlotte and Everett on the razor’s edge. When danger and death collide with the joy of adventure, truths they’ve denied themselves come into sharp focus. But with a bit of faith, they may discover a treasure far more priceless than a religious relic in their hands. 

These two have to be the most passionate couple and not just in the bedroom. The passion for finding the veil and the adventure leaps off the pages and it’s like you are there. Neither one was looking for romance and it’s a bumpy road for them as they try to figure out if there’s more than just passion between them and if they want more. I loved how they both slowly opened up and learned about themselves as well as each other.

I loved the search for the veil just as much as the romance and even though I figured who would cause problems I didn’t expect the reasons behind it. I was holding my breath in the end not knowing what was going to happen as they battled for their lives.

Charlotte fears love means the end of her Independence so her interest in men isn’t with marriage in mind, but her heart knows what it wants. I love her because there’s so much to her and you learn about her throughout the book. She’s passionate and headstrong but learns to open her heart.

Everett guards his heart after the woman he thought loved him left, but something about Charlotte tears down the walls surrounding it. I love that he pushes her and won’t let her push him away while helping her see she can love. There’s no doubt how he feels about her and that he won’t hold her back.

In the end I didn’t want it to end because they are such an interesting couple that I hope to see more of.

ARC Review: Kisses and Scandal #1 from Kisses and Scandal: A Survivors Series Anthology by Shana Galen

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Kisses and Scandal by Shana Galen

Releasing April 14, 2020

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

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You’ve met the men of the wildly popular Survivors series. Now meet the charming friends and relatives who walk the streets of London with them. Kisses and Scandal features three exciting novellas set in the Survivors’ world, including one never-before-published story.

Kisses and Scandal
Lady Philomena is the sister of the Duke of Mayne. She’s beautiful and sought-after, but she’s made the mistake of falling in love with… the footman. James Finnegan loves his lady but has a secret that won’t only break Philomena’s heart. It just might endanger her life.

This kind of pairing is the fairy tale we all love. The lady falling in love with the footman and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. This one has the added twist his secret puts her in danger and he must do whatever he can to protect her. I really loved how they seemed to click and it’s heartbreaking when the secret comes to light, but love wins in the end. It’s a quick and cute story that will have you giggling at her mother in the end.

Philomena is a strong woman that when she sets her mind on something she will have it. I loved that she never backed down from what she wanted or worried about the scandal. She also knew that her heart wanted him no matter what.

James joined the household as a footman for his part in a dangerous scheme, but meeting Philomena changed him and now he must protect her. I love that he was always the one worried about the scandal. There was never a doubt about his feelings for her.

Review: A Duke is Never Enough (The Spitfire Society #2) by Darcy Burke

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A Duke id Never Enough by Darcy Burke

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

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Notorious rake Marcus Raleigh, Marquess of Ripley, is gracing the gossip pages for a new reason: the rumors he may have murdered his swindling cousin. His quest for answers regarding his cousin’s death leads him to an incomparable self-declared spinster, and he is—for the first time—beguiled beyond reason. Neither is what the other wants, and yet their intense mutual infatuation is inescapable.

After abandoning her philandering betrothed at the altar, Phoebe Lennox fled from London only to return an heiress who refuses to follow the ton’s rules. She won’t risk a relationship of any kind—until she meets the notorious Marquess of Ripley. Swept into his seductive embrace, her resolve falters in the face of a pleasure she never anticipated. But when the truth about Marcus and the murder come to light, Phoebe could lose everything she holds dear, including a love for all time. 

I knew I was going to love Marcus’s story and he met his match in Phoebe. Neither one of them cares about the ton’s rules or has a desire to marry until they meet. I loved how they started out making wagers and becoming friends, but anyone that saw them knew it was more. From the moment they met, there was heat between them and I knew they wouldn’t be able to fight it. I love when couples go into things not wanting to get attached because when they fall in love they fall hard.

The story of his cousin’s death will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what will happen and when. I wasn’t sure who the killer was until it was revealed. Marcus learned people care about him as much as he cares about them.

Phoebe doesn’t want anything to do with marriage after what happened with her ex. But Marcus opens her eyes to how things should be and piques her interest. I loved her from the start with how independent she was and that she helped him.

Marcus avoids relationships, but something about Phoebe draws him in and he can’t stay away. I loved him from the start because you could tell he wasn’t what the ton thought he was. He cared about people around him more than he realized.

Review: How the Lady Was Won (The Survivors #7) by Shana Galen

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How the Lady Was Won by Shana Galen

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

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When a master of disguise marries a woman who sees right through him…
Lady Daphne, daughter of the Duke of Warcliffe, is one of the Three Suns. Society revolves around her. But there’s one person who doesn’t seem to know she’s alive—her own husband. Lady Daphne was thrilled to marry Colin FitzRoy, the son of her mother’s dear friend, seven years before. But then he left for the army, and their marriage never really had a chance. Now she’s in trouble, and Colin has reentered her life. She’s determined to refuse his help, especially after the way he’s treated her, but Colin can be persuasive…especially when he has her alone.

Baring it all is part of the seduction.
Colin FitzRoy was known as The Pretender during the war. He’s an expert in the art of disguise, but even when he takes off the mask, he hides who he really is. Colin pretends he doesn’t have feelings, but when he’s thrust together with his estranged wife, his buried emotions resurface. Before long, Colin is juggling an elderly pug, a wife-hunting Scotsman, and a duplicitous street urchin in an effort to keep Daphne safe. But his greatest challenge is not only to seduce her but to win her heart. 

This may just be my favorite in The Survivors series! Their wedding night did not go as planned and they’ve not spoken in seven years, but that all changes when trouble brings them back together. I love them together because that spark is between them and you can tell they are both fighting it for different reasons. Their emotions and feels slowly start to come to the surface and once they give in it is fireworks.

I was on pins and needles when it came to her trouble because I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was fun seeing Jasper again because he caused some trouble along the way. There are a few surprising twists throughout the story that I didn’t see coming.

Daphne is nothing like her friends when it comes to gossip and how she treats people. She is stubborn and full of fire and wants to fix her trouble herself, but she doesn’t know the danger that comes with it. I loved her right away because she didn’t hold back with anything or anyone.

Colin knows things went badly seven years ago, but his past keeps him from showing his emotions. He would do anything to protect her and wants to be with her, but he runs when his emotions start to show. I loved his skills and when he finally was able to open up.

Review: A Gypsy’s Christmas Kiss )Lady it’s Cold Outside) by Dawn Brower

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A Gypsy’s Christmas Kiss by Dawn Brower

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋

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Fin and Lulia have a history. One that neither one has forgotten. When they meet again they are drawn together. After that chance meeting they share a magical kiss. Along the way they discover that sometimes the one thing a person needs isn’t what they would expect.

This one is kinda a whirlwind romance in a way. They met when she told him he would have to choose a path one day and neither one forgot that meeting. Then a surprising chance encounter reignites the spark between them and they quickly realize their love for each other. They come from different worlds in some ways, but they are meant to be with each other.

Lulia is a woman that had taken care of herself for years, but she does have a secret that will change how some see her. I loved her right away because of how she was with people and seemed to float between to worlds. She anchors Fin and helps him realize what path he should take.

Fin has avoided choosing his path for years and meeting Lulia again will force him to decide. He is an impulsive man at times, but that makes you love him because he doesn’t hide his feelings. I loved that nothing was going to stand in his way when it came to her.

The Beastly Earl (The Reckless Rockwoods #5) by Monica Burns

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The Beastly Earl by Monica Burns

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️ Spice Level: 💋 💋 💋

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After eight years in the Sudan, Ewan Colquhoun returns home minus an eye and arm. His cold, grim childhood home hasn’t changed except for the boy his wife died giving birth to—a son that isn’t his. Bitter and angry at life, he quickly earns the title, the Beastly Earl of Argaty. When he finds Louisa half-dead on the moors, she stirs something inside him. Soon, he finds his life turned upside down by a woman hell-bent on taming the beast.

When tragedy strikes, Louisa becomes a widow with two young children. For two years, she’s struggled with the grief and guilt from that terrible night. Eager to let go of the past, she returns to the Rockwood family’s estate in Scotland, but an unfortunate accident places her in the path of the Earl of Argaty. She soon discovers letting go of the past is easier than taming the beast and freeing the man she loves.

​Is her love strong enough to tame the beast and free the man inside? 

This book hit me with so many emotions as every secret was revealed. Monica did an excellent job of balancing out the darker stuff with some bits of comic relief and a powerful love story. Some scenes were hard to read because they felt so real especially what was seen in visions. Even with the visions, I wasn’t sure what was coming until it was revealed. Louisa and Ewan both are haunted by the past and fate brought them together when they needed each other the most.

I absolutely loved the paranormal elements and how much a part of the story they were. This story shows how powerful real love can be and that it sees past what’s on the outside and any obstacles. There’s so much in this story to love, but I don’t want to spoil anything!

Louisa is as stubborn as they come and she was going to fight as hard as she could to make Ewan see he’s not a beast. I loved her from the start because it was clear that you don’t want to mess with her. She had healing of her own to do and I loved seeing her realize she could let go of the past.

Ewan believes he a monster in everyone’s eyes and doesn’t know what love is. You grow to love him especially after learning more about his family. He slowly learned that he needed to change and could love and be loved.

In for a Penny (In For a Penny #1) by Rose Lerner

In for a Penny by Rose Lerner

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️ Spice Level: 💋 💋 💋

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He thought her money was the end of his problems, but it was just the beginning…

Young Lord Nevinstoke enjoys every moment of his deep-gaming, hard-drinking, womanizing life. Then his father is killed in a drunken duel, and Nev inherits a mountain of debts and responsibilities. He vows to leave his wild friends and his mistress behind, start acting respectable—and marry a rich girl.

Penelope Brown, a manufacturing heiress, seems the perfect choice. She’s pretty, ladylike, good at accounting, and looking for a marriage based on companionship and mutual esteem, not love. In fact, the only rash thing she’s ever done in her life is accept Nev’s proposal.

When the newlyweds arrive at Nev’s family estate, they discover that all the respectability and reason in the world won’t be enough to handle a hostile next-door neighbor, mutinous tenants, and Nev’s family’s propensity for scandal. In way over their heads, Nev and Penelope have no one to turn to but each other—but to their surprise, that just might be enough. 

I do enjoy a good marriage of convenience and this one definitely takes you on a journey to the happily ever after. These two are a good match for each other and liked that they both knew what they were going into. There just wasn’t enough passion between them for me and at times the romance got lost with the other stories going on. I loved the first half of the story, but the second half was full of drama outside of their relationship. I didn’t mind the added story with his sister or the stuff with the poachers and tenants but could have done without the neighbor stuff and Amy drama. If the book had focused more on the romance or maybe been shorter I think I would have liked it more.

When these two were together there was some wonderful teasing and good tension at times. The fact that they both knew what they were getting into was something I really liked. But even during their “first time” it wasn’t passionate like it should have been to me and kinda pulled me out of the story. It had too much of that old school way of how a woman’s first time should be and lacked something.

Penelope is a strong woman that is doing what she wants for once. I did love that she didn’t hide her skills and was working to help the estate. She is a very lovable character and I really liked her.

Nev will do anything he has to for his family and the people on his estate. I loved that he didn’t beat around the bush with her and wanted her to be happy. He really cared about people and making things right.

Review: Lady Be Good (Lord Love a Lady #5) by Annabelle Anders

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Lady be Good by Annabelle Anders

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️ Spice Level: 💋 💋 💋

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In his arms, she didn’t feel like a maid… she simply felt like a woman.

Rose is a lady’s maid—albeit an educated, opinionated, hard headed and impetuous one.

Roman Spencer stands to become one of England’s most powerful earls. Sober and responsible, Viscount Darlington holds honor and duty above all else.

Stumbling upon one another at a Christmas House Party, the mismatched couple struggles to douse the smoldering attraction threatening to ignite between them. Will they succumb to society’s dictates or give in to the power of an everlasting love?

True everlasting love can survive anything and Rome and Rose will prove that over and over. Rumors, society, secrets, and their stations in society won’t keep them apart. I loved these two from the start because they instantly have something between them and feel safe with each other. There’s no judgment for their pasts and they push each other to break away from their safety net.

I was holding my breath when everything seemed to blow up with the rumor and the ball. But everything brought them together in the end. I was not expecting who started the rumor or why. His family is very unique and perfect for a couple like them.

Rose deserves a powerful love and to be the lady she was meant to be. I loved seeing her come out of her shell more and help him when he needed it most. I applaud her for how she shut down the rumor because that took a lot of courage.

Rome is a man that has let one thing in the past eat at him and he deserves love. I loved that he saw her for her and seemed to understand her better than most. He needed someone like her to push him to do what his heart wanted.