Bio: I am retired human resource specialist with a love of reading. A lover of romance and historical novels does not prevent me from reading a broad range of fiction and non-fiction materials. In the short time I have been a member of Fictionwise my e-book library has reached over 200 books and is still growing. E-books are easily portable and are a wonderful addition to my paper library. My reviews may be seen on LibraryThing, where I am an Early Reviewer, reading and reviewing books prior to publication.

Simon, Lord Marby needs a wife. Having located his missing nephew at the orphanage in Worthington, he desperately wishes to atone for the mission which caused the death of the boy's father. Yet each step into society is greeted with fear and distrust for the scarred visage and reputation which marks him as the Beast of Worthington. Miss Marie Cunningham has been waiting for her handsome knight on white steed. After the happy marriages of her three friends, surely it is her turn. When young Peter... more info>> 2008

Words: 73862 - Reading Time: 211-295 min.
Category: Romance

I must admit that I am a softie when it comes to a book that even touches on the Beauty and the Beast theme. Ms. Kirch has not only written a wonderful romance, but also provided this reader with the gift of laughter. Simon, Lord Marby scarred in body and soul is the quintessential beast. The kind and loving, though completely naive, Miss Marie Cunningham is the perfect beauty. Simon could not seem to win and Marie could not lose, while I could not stop laughing.

In this classic tale, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh introduces a hero like no other: Miles Ripley, London's most irresistible bachelor, who's about to lose his heart to the last person he ever expected to love--his wife. When Abigail Gardiner knocks at the door of Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, the last thing she expects is a marriage proposal. Desperate, she'd come to this charismatic stranger's home to plead for her future. Instead she shocks them both by saying yes. Her impulsi... more info>>
Category: Romance

Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn wants the ideal wife and Mary Balogh finds her for him. The only problem for the Earl is that Abigail Gardiner is more than ideal. She is unique and the earl cannot stop laughing or loving her. Ms. Balogh has created a love story, which will bring joy and laughter to any heart. This is a book to visit again and again; a truly enjoyable read.

Back in the Highlands! Rogue's Challenge is follow-up to Highlander's Challenge by the same author. Jenny Maxwell is pulled through a time portal by Ian Southernland. Ian was sent from the sixteenth century to bring Dr. Maxwell back through time in order to help her friend deliver her baby. Ian and Jenny have a love/hate relationship. Adventure, humor, and romance make this a book hard to put down. A real treat for time travel fans.

He is the father of her child, but the secrets they are hiding are tearing them apart.... Megan MacKeage escaped the smothering protectiveness of the Highland MacKeage clan to work as a scientist on the Canadian tundra. But when fellow researcher Wayne Ferris breaks her heart by rejecting her, Megan returns to Maine alone.... Then she meets the town's new police chief, Jack Stone--the man she knew as Wayne Ferris. Instead of the quiet scholar he posed as, he's an aggressive private eye who's wil... more info>>
Category: Mainstream

Secrets of the Highlander by Janet Chapman is the sixth book of the Highlander series. Previous books dealt with the experiences of highland warriors transported from eleventh and thirteenth century Scotland to modern day Maine. The Scots have blended in and become an important part of modern times during the thirty-five years spent in the modern times. The series includes romance, magic, fantasy.

In this book Megan MacKeage one of the seven daughters of Greylen MacKeage runs into Jack Stone, the father of the baby she is carrying. The last time Megan saw Jack they were in Alaska and he was calling himself Wayne Ferris. At that time when told of her pregnancy, he said he wanted nothing to do with Meagan or the baby and sent her back to Maine.

Jack is now the town police chief, returned to claim Megan's heart in the midst of solving a number of mysteries. I'll leave it to the reader to decide how many. I read the book and I am not quite sure. I think I would have preferred fewer story lines and a little more depth. There are many books that could be written about these Scots and their descendants, I look forward to the next one.

She must choose between her destiny ... and her desire. As soon as Pine Creek's new mystery man steps into her art gallery, Winter MacKeage is intrigued. This sexy stranger, Matt Gregor, wants her to do some drawings of his dream house. And with his tiger-gold eyes and masculine charm, he's impossible to resist. But so is Winter's Scottish heritage. As the seventh MacKeage daughter, she must embrace her true magical calling ... and deny her mortal desires. Soon Winter is heating up--in Matt's st... more info>>
Category: Romance

Book five of the Highlander series begins as Winter MacKeage is ready to meet her destiny as a druidh. Before she comes into possession of her powers, Winter meets and falls in love with Matt Gregor. The story revolves around love, redemption, magic, and the safety of mankind. I enjoyed the book, but felt the writing did not flow as smoothly as in earlier novels. I recommend reading the earlier books in the series as much of the book is based on past occurrences.

Set against the seductive backdrop of Regency England, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh's latest novel sweeps us into the sensual, enthralling world of an elite academy for young ladies. Here, amid music lessons and garden parties, whispered confessions and secret yearnings, one of the school's teachers--headmistress Claudia Martin--will find her well-ordered world jolted by love when she meets a man who would make the perfect husband...for somebody else. Tall, dark, and exquisitely... more info>>
Category: Romance

Claudia Martin, owner and headmistress of a girl's school ruined and left with a broken heart nearly twenty years ago has given up hope of marriage and a family. Her childhood sweetheart declared that she was not good enough for him and broke their engagement when he inherited a Dukedom. Now at age thirty-five her past love returns and Claudia falls in love with Joseph, Marquess of Attingsborough, caught in an arranged betrothal and in line for a Dukedom. Claudia has many reasons to distrust the ton adding to her dilemma with old and new found love.

The best thing about reading a Mary Balogh romance is one not only reads about love, one feels love. "Then I would love them too," Claudia said, her cheeks an interesting shade of pink. "Just as dearly. Not more so, not less. Love does not have to be portioned out, Lizzie. It is the one thing that never diminishes when one gives it away. Indeed, it only grows."

He set out to seduce her for all the wrong reasons--but found himself falling in love with her for all the right ones. Alex Knight is dead--or so everyone thinks. A widowed logger baron with a risk-taking streak, he took on a South American engineering project and was reported dead after a rebel attack. So when he turns up back in Maine very much alive, his grieving family is shocked. But the biggest shock is Alex's, when he discovers he's now married--to a woman he's never met. Sarah Banks is r... more info>>
Category: Romance

Ms. Chapman has taken a turn from her a Highlander series by omitting the fantasy. No warriors and just a little intrigue make The Seduction of his wife a contemporary romance.

Alex Knight returns from a South American work assignment to discover he has been married to his housekeeper by proxy. Alex's father, Grady Knight, had hired Sarah Banks as housekeeper while Alex was away. When the family heard that Alex had died, Grady convinced Sarah to marry Alex by proxy and adopt his two children in order to prevent his dead wife's parents form trying to get custody.

There are some humorous bits when almost everyone takes a turn trying to teach Sarah to drive and some mysterious men wandering about. Sarah yearns to open a hunting lodge/camp in order to put to work her skills as a former innkeeper. I liked the characters, although Sarah was a little mousey. I wished more had been made of the mysterious occurrences.

In The Seduction of His Wife, USA Today bestselling author Janet Chapman introduced the Knights, an ambitious logging family whose fortunes and hearts are tied to the rugged mountains of Maine. Now, Ethan Knight is drawn into the family business ... and deep into temptation. When Ethan agreed to work at a sawmill his family is purchasing, he didn't foresee getting fired on his first day. He should be mad at the fiercely outspoken female foreman, but something about her seems disconcertingly fami... more info>>
Category: Romance

A follow-up to The Seduction of His Wife, this novel is about Ethan Knight and secondarily, brother Paul. The Northern Maine family has purchased a sawmill and Ethan is assigned the task of managing it. Hired on undercover, in order to learn the business, prior to the purchase Ethan runs afoul of the supervisor by throwing a punch in the jaw. He was unaware that the supervisor was Anna Segee, a woman with a temper, who promptly fires him. There are secrets on all sides as a romance develops between the two.

Ethan and Anna have a history explained in bits and pieces. Ethan saved Anna when she was eleven and Anna was sent to live with her father's logging family in Canada. The story is full of Knights, Segees, townspeople, and criminals. The author does a good job of keeping them all straight and separating the individual story lines. It is amazing the romance develops as well as it does in the midst of all the excitement.

Amelia 'Tuck' Tucker, twenty-first century bodyguard, is quite a surprise to the residents of sixteenth century Scotland. Her fighting skills put many to shame during practice sessions in the lists. Colin MacLean doesn't know if he should fight with her or make love to her. Tuck has responsibilities back in her own time, but could she make a life in this century. Time travel, humor, and romance. I didn't want to put this book down and am looking forward to Ms. Barrett's next highland adventure.

She has the power to tempt him beyond all reason ... Catherine Daniels arrives in Pine Creek, Maine, at just the right time for Robbie MacBain. She is on the run from her ex-husband, and Robbie is a sexy, single foster parent who needs a housekeeper while he travels back in time to medieval Scotland. Unbeknownst to Catherine, Robbie's looking for a book of spells to save the future of his family ... and little did he expect to find a burning passion in Catherine's arms. Can Robbie seal his famil... more info>>
Category: Romance

Tempting the Highlander is the fourth in Janet Chapman's Pine Creek Highlander Series. The series is about a group of eleventh century Scots time-transported to present day Maine. This book features Robbie MacBain, the son of an original transplant and his relationship with Catherine Daniels, divorced mother of two, on the run from her former abusive husband. Robbie, foster father of four teenage boys, has become the guardian of the original Highlanders and their descendants. The romance between Robbie and "Cat" blossoms in the midst of time travel, magic, warring highlanders, and shenanigans of a wizard priest. Each book in this series is as good as or better than the last one.

The American Duchess is quite simply, a love story. American Tracy Bodmin and her father William visit London. William Bodwin born in England to an impoverished family is now one of the richest men in the world. Unknown to Tracy, her father is dying and his dream is for her to make a good English Marriage. William solicits the help of Lady Georgiana Bridgewater in his efforts to secure what he considers 'the best husband' for his daughter. Since money is no object, Lady Bridgewater is happy to introduce the Bodmins to her nephew, Adrian Deincourt, the nearly bankrupt, Duke of Hastings. Joan Wolf presents two young people, each marrying for reasons other than love, who come to deeply love each other. In the process neither can believe in the possibility that love is returned. The characters of Tracy and Adrian are portrayed as completely different people from different backgrounds attempting to accept the possibility that love can survive despite these differences. Romance readers who enjoy a love story will find The American Duchess a true delight!

The Wicked Lord Dayle Charles Alden, Viscount Dayle, is intent on reform, having misspent his youth on hard living, soft women and outrageous pranks. Forced by circumstance to hold a title he never wanted, he's determined to live up to his noble name. The Unconventional Miss Westby Sophie Westby is the last woman who should attract his interest. And yet she comforts his battered spirit, captivates his wary mind and tempts him with her exotic beauty. But the reformed rake cannot cause another sca... more info>>
Category: Romance

Sophie Westby has come to London to help her friend, Emily Lowder design a nursery. Emily was so pleased with the nursery, she asked Sophie to do several more rooms. Viscountress Dayle, a visitor to the Lowder home is so enamored over the redecorated rooms that she requested Sophie do a project for her.

Lady Dayle happens to be the mother of Sophie's childhood friend, Charles. Sophie and Charles have lost touch over the years and he is now Viscount Dayle. When Sophie meets him, she hardly recognizes him since he has changed so much. Gone is the young man full of tricks and laughter and in his place is a stern, mean-spirited, stuffy curmudgeon.

Charles has tried to turn over a new leaf and be respectable, upright, and worthy of his title. However, his efforts seem to be worth little as someone is out to destroy his reputation by exposing his wild youthful exploits. He decides to marry a woman of stellar reputation as a way to improve his standing with the ton. Of course, that women cannot be Sophie, no matter how much she fascinates him. She's just too eccentric and just too ready to step forward and take a stand, no matter the consequences, Ms. Marlowe inserts romance, intrigue, and humor into a story of the days after the Napoleonic wars. She writes of the ton, the attitude of Parliament, women's rights, and the plight of the returning soldiers. Both romance and history buffs will find this book well worth reading.

Flat broke and desperate, Kate Hartley runs to her ex-husband for help. However, his help comes with a high price. One she can't refuse. The morning after a high society party finds Kate Hartley in her ex-husband's bed. Just a stupid mistake; something to put behind her. Until she discovers that she is pregnant. Mack had never wanted children; had only married her in a rush of lust. Kate knows this. Nothing would drive her to ask anything of him. Nothing. But she's homeless and flat broke. And i... more info>>
Category: Erotica

Kate Hartley was one of those women who actually came to marry her boss. After her parents died, she and her sister, Francesca, were left to make it on their own. With little money, the prospect of marrying a rich handsome man was like a dream come true. Kate discovered that dreams were only dreams when she found her husband Sean (Mack) Mackenzie in the arms of his personal assistant. She left him! Years passed, and then Kate ran into Mack at a party followed by a night of passion, which turned, into a family affair. Alone, pregnant, and broke, Kate turns to Mack for help. Despite his anger and apparent hatred of her, he forces a remarriage as the only way he will provide help. Kate soon learns that marriage to Mack is a worse nightmare than she thought possible. In addition, she discovers that her sister has been secretly double-crossing her for years. Mack takes out all perceived and real hurts from Kate and his family out on his new relationship with Kate. Ms. Rees presents a story of passion, where deceptions and deceit have caused a relationship to wither. This is a book for those who enjoy reading about families and how lack of communication and trust allows jealousy and hatred to wreck havoc and destroy.

This is the third novella (The Fox and Winter Heart) I have read by Gayle Eden (pen name of Eve Asbury) and have enjoyed all. Liana has led a selfless existence providing for her wastrel father, married at fifteen and widowed a year later. As a widow, she again takes on the responsibility of her father until he forces her marriage to a stranger to pay his debts. The story begins as she meets her husband aboard ship when a terrible storm strands the newlyweds on a deserted island. Even though the romance is a bit erotic, the survival skills and developing relationship/romance make for a book worth reading.

From the very beginning, Ms. Lane presents the reader with a roller coaster ride of personalities, secrets, and plots with more than a touch of humor thrown in. In spite of it all, can romance prevail? I had a lot of fun keeping track of who was after whom. A fun read.

I enjoy historical romances, especially those that depict what life was like for women. Most Americans never learn about the role of women in early American history except for the contributions of writers such as Carolyn Lampman. The suffragist movement was alive and well in Wyoming gaining the vote and right to hold public office long before other states. The day-to-day experiences of those in Meadowlark presented through a variety of characters offered a look at what life was really like for early settlers

I enjoyed this book despite the problems I had with Angela. It had all of the elements of a good Regency romance: the wicked mother, the good and bad suitor. Undercurrents and some surprises kept the story interesting. This is not the first book of Ms. Lane's I have enjoyed and it definitely will not be the last.

In 1885 Chelsea, England, by accident Lord Justin Powell finds himself in a potentially compromising situation with an underage teenager. Though nothing happened, he cuts a deal with Evelyn Cummings Whyte that if she keeps silent about their unfortunate unplanned "rendezvous," he owes her a future favor. She agrees. Ten years later, Evelyn has taken charge of her aunt's wedding planning business, but each event that she has hosted has been a catastrophe. Desperate to succeed before she runs the ... more info>> 2002

Words: 100000 - Reading Time: 285-400 min.
Category: Romance

A Victorian historical full of adventure, spies and romance. A page-turner that kept me laughing and cheering for the unlikely heroine.

A Curious Courting is the perfect book for readers who like a romance with a strong man and women as the main characters. When Gareth Rushton meets, Selina Easterly-Cummings sparks fly. Ms. Mathews presents us with a lively romance with some rib tickling humor thrown in. A more than enjoyable read!

Hanna Howell makes the Highlands come alive through her wonderfully descriptive historical novels. Diminutive Gillyanne Murray is forced to choose between the possible deaths of her clansmen or becoming the Highland Bride of Sir Connor MacEnroy. She chooses to wed and in the process grows to love Connor and his clan. However, the marriage has created a dilemma since Gillyanne has vowed that her marriage be based on love as have been those of the rest of her family. From the beginning, she is forced to put her special talents in the area of strategy and reading people to work in her quest for love. Ms. Howell has written a novel of romance, adventure, mystery and humor and great characterization. I did not want to put this book down.

I have read a number of Ms. Mathews works and have to say I thoroughly enjoy her light romances a bit in the style of Jane Austin. I must say this book is one of her best and deserves a place on my old friend's shelf.

Livia Lacey came to the house she inherited in London's Cavendish Square with her two friends, Lady Cornelia Dagenham and Lady Aurelia Farnham, to experience the excitement of city life. With Cornelia now happily married, Livia and Aurelia are on their own. But dashing Prince Alex Prokov, a newcomer to London, seems enchanted by Liv the moment they meet. Disarmed by the prince's determined pursuit of her, his exuberant joy of living, and the desires he awakens in her, Liv agrees to marry him.But... more info>>
Category: Romance

Livia Lacy has inherited a London house from a distant relative. Initially she moved in with two friends but one has since married. Livia meets Russian Prince Alex Prokov and marries him never knowing that he is a spy for the Russian Czar. She cannot understand the strange happenings in her home and is having trouble adjusting to her new husband's autocratic ways. I did not like Alex, but then I did not marry him, Livia did. If one can get past Alex's personality, the book contains romance, adventure, and humor, all things necessary for a good read.

Generally in a romantic novel even if the hero begins as a rake, he changes for the better. Sadly, Lord Desborough never seems to become that knight in shining armor. Ms. Lamperd does provide a varied cast of characters with lots of action.