TITLE: Love Redeemed
SERIES: The Market #2
AUTHOR: Sorcha Mowbray
RATING:
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TITLE: It Happened One Summer
SERIES: Bellinger Sisters #1
AUTHOR: Tessa Bailey
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TITLE: The Minotaur
SERIES: Gods and Myths #1
AUTHOR: Sophie Ash
RATING:
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TITLE: The Chasing of Eleanor Vane
SERIES: Duke I’d Like to F…Anthology
AUTHOR: Sierra Simone
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Eleanor desires for a life of her own that is exciting, but is to be married to Ajax's nephew. Ajax is still reeling after the death of his wife and just wants to leave. Ajax saves Eleanor's life and they can't deny the attraction anymore.
TITLE: Spy SeasonSERIES: Deception & Discipline #3.5
AUTHOR: Golden Angel
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TITLE: Property of the Mountain Man
SERIES: Montana Mountain Men #1
AUTHOR: Gemma Weir
RATING:
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TITLE: Sun Crossed
SERIES: Zodiac Wolves #2
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Briggs
RATING:
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TITLE: Chasing the Earl
SERIES: The Arrogant Earls #3
AUTHOR: Kathleen Ayers
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Emmagene is bitter after an awful man broke her heart. Huntly has no desire for woman outside the bedroom. But they enjoy bantering with each other at a house party and eventually find themselves in love.
TITLE: One Wedding and an Earl
SERIES: The Duchess Society #4
AUTHOR: Tracy Sumner
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TITLE: The Marquess’s Stolen Bride
SERIES: Dukes Gone Dirty #3
AUTHOR: Bella Moxie
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TITLE: The Duke in Question
SERIES: Daring Dukes #3
AUTHOR: Amalie Howard
RATING:
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TITLE: The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate
SERIES: The Five Packs #1
AUTHOR: Cate C. Wells
RATING:
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The Scandalous Vixen
The Duchess Society #2
Tracy Sumner
Helena Astley, Lady Hell to the ton, has plans. To control her father’s shipping business, to live her way, by her rules. Her plan is going remarkably well until one ill-advised kiss invites the duke she doesn’t want but cannot resist into her life. Hardnosed Roan Darlington, Duke of Leighton, cares little for society or finding a duchess. The only person ever to challenge him is the incorrigible, infuriating Helena Astley. The one woman he’s never been able to forget.
When they’re caught in a ruinous situation, Roan offers her an alternative. A sham engagement she can break off after Christmas. As they discover a world of forbidden pleasure, Helena must decide if she can relinquish a heart she vowed to withhold from the only man powerful enough to seize it. And Roan must decide if falling madly, passionately in love is worth the risk.
The Hero
Roan Darlington, Duke of Leighton was handed the dukedom at the age of 21, suddenly and out of the blue. He was not happy about the inheritance, but came to recognize his duty. He and his sister Pippa were forced out of their simple life, to one they were I’ll prepared for.
"He spread his palm across her lower back to steady her, taking subtle possession. “You see, my darling heiress, I seek a kiss that says everything. The kiss to end all kisses. The kiss of the century. Why run the race if you’re not trying to win? That’s my rule. Or rather, my quest. That we don’t limit ourselves.” With his free hand, Roan cradled her jaw, tilting her head until her gaze pierced his. She stilled with the effort, like a feather coming to rest on a feather coverlet. “I want to show you that the heat we generate is enough to make anyone, even you, believe in the power of desire. What we do with it is up to us, I suppose.”
The Heroine
Helena Astley is the only daughter of a shipping giant, who gave her the company when he died, making her an instant outcast in society but incredibly wealthy! She is smart, witty and an amazing business woman. Her mother having died when she was little, she is lonely and has no friends outside of work relationships.
The Plot
Roan has been pining after Helena for over a decade. He would watch her by the seashore and try to gather the nerve to speak to her. When he finally did, he botched the whole thing and ruined any chance he had with her.
Now, it’s 10 years later and, although they still harbor strong feelings for each other, they are rude to each other and bicker every time they meet. But, when the opportunity presents itself, Roan invites Helena, and her newly discovered half sister, to his country house for the Christmastide so that her sister and his sister can get lessons from the Duchess Society. He offers to pretend a courtship with Helena so that he can help put aside rumors he accidentally when he punched a man for insulting her and save her from scandal.
Helena and her sister arrive at Roan’s house and she starts to see a side of him that she didn’t expect, a caring and responsible side. But when he dares her to a kiss, that simple kiss leads to more and they are caught in a compromising position. Thrust into a world she is I’ll prepared for, Roan must convince Helena that he wants and loves her and the rest will fall into place. And she needs to let her guard down and open her heart to the possibility of love and a family.
The Steam
A couple of very steamy scenes and lots of swooning! One particularly steamy scene on a pianoforte that leads to a compromising situation!
"You see, I’m not interested in half measures. From my friends, my colleagues, or my wife. No business agreements are going to carry us through. It’s love or nothing for me. You have mine, you always have, but I must have yours in return. Or I can’t do this, Hellie. I can’t.”
Final Thoughts
Once again, Ms. Sumner’s book gives me all the feels! Such a good book and, since, all three storylines in this series are so different, I know it is Tracy’s writing that can pull me into any romance she can put to paper!
Tropes
Regency Era, Historical Romance, House Party, Holiday Romance, Titled Hero, Spinster Heroine, Wallflower Heroine, Matchmaker Heroine, Independent Heroine, Working Heroine, Experienced Heroine, Angst Romance, Unrequited love, Second Chance Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Fake Relationship, Married in Scandal, Class Difference, Rake Hero, Sudden Nobility/Rags to Riches, Dare or Bet, Dirty Talk, Five Star, Four Flame
Ruthless Rivals #2
by Kate Bateman
The Davies and Montgomery families have been locked in an ancient feud. But it’s a thin line between love and hate in Kate Bateman's A Daring Pursuit.
TWO ENEMIES
Carys Davies is doing everything in her power to avoid marriage. Staying single is the only way to hide the secret that could ruin her—and her family—if it was revealed. For the past two seasons she’s scandalized the ton with her outrageous outfits and brazen ways in a futile bid to deter potential suitors. Outwardly confident and carefree, inside she’s disillusioned with both men and love. There’s only one person who’s never bought her act—the only man who makes her heart race: Tristan Montgomery, one of her family’s greatest rivals.
ONE SCANDALOUS BARGAIN
Wickedly proper architect Tristan needs a respectable woman to wed, but he’s never stopped wanting bold, red-headed Carys. When she mockingly challenges him to show her what she’s missing by not getting married, Tristan shocks them both by accepting her indecent proposal: one week of clandestine meetings, after which they’ll go their separate ways. But kissing each other is almost as much fun as arguing, and their affair burns hotter than either of them expects. When they find themselves embroiled in a treasonous plot, can they trust each other with their hearts, their secrets…and their lives?
The Plot
Carys and Tristan both have had feelings for each other since they were young, but they both channel that passion into sparing rather than romance. But when Tristan finds Carys waiting in Howe’s carriage, he is intrigued. Unbeknownst to him, Howe is blackmailing Carys to keep the secret that she is not a virgin because he basically raped her two years ago. She is terrified a husband would know she wasn’t a virgin and loathe her, so she flaunts herself and declares that she doesn’t want to get married. They strike a deal to have Tristan show her how passionate and pleasurable sex can be and boy does he ever! I thought the plot was unique in that, Carys didn’t turn into a whore after her loss, but she decided sex wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. There was some drama with Howe and Carys’s animal menagerie that kept the story interesting and moving along.
“I love you. I’ve loved you for years, even when I couldn’t admit it to myself. Why do you think the walls in my bedroom are green?” A glow of happiness was welling up inside her, spreading to every limb, but she was still afraid to hope. “Why?” “Because I imagined you there. Always.” Her throat felt hot and painfully tight. “Truly?” “Truly. I want you by my side, to dazzle and charm everyone who comes into your orbit. I’ve seen you do it a thousand times.” “Only to make you jealous,” she admitted. He let out a strangled laugh. “Well, it worked. I’ve hated every man who laughed at your jokes, every idiot who’s sighed over your figure. The day you wore that bloody handkerchief dress was the worst day of my life.” She managed a coy smile. “You didn’t like it?” “I loved it and hated it in equal measure.”
The Heroine
Lady Carys Davies thought she was in love and was seduced by Christopher Howe, only to find him engaged to someone else days later. So she keeps the shame secret to save her family from ruin, but it only causes her more pain. She resigns herself to spinsterhood because she’s afraid what will happen if her future husband should find out. So she puts on a happy face, shocks society with her hoydenish behavior and shocking attire, all the while masking her sadness and despair. I felt for Carys; she had to feel so alone.
The house sounded very much like herself: an illusion. A vision that looked perfect from afar, but on closer inspection was still a work in progress.
The Hero
Tristan Montgomery wants everything in order and behaved, the exact opposite of Carys, but he has been pining after her since they were kids….in conscious and unconscious ways! When he finds out she isn’t a virginal debutante, he is almost relieved, which kind of bothered me, but I guess that made her more ‘real’ or attainable. Either way, I loved that he offered to help her and the tug of war he went through in the process.
She stifled a giggle. “You’re doing a sterling job.” She pressed against him and wriggled provocatively. “I can feel how hard it is for you.” “That’s my pistol,” he said, straight-faced. She wiggled again. “My other pistol.” She flattened herself full-length against him, from breasts to thighs, and with them both wearing breeches there was no mistaking his desire. A thrill of feminine triumph coursed through her. “And this?” she teased. “That’s all for you.”
The Steam
Loved their banter, whether it was sexual or not, they had some great quips! Great chemistry and a few good steamy scenes.
“You’re only one bad experience away from being a virgin. You barely qualify to wear pale pink, let alone scarlet. You, Carys Davies, are a fraud.” Her mouth dropped open, as he’d known it would at the perceived insult, and he choked back a laugh. Outraged Carys was much better than miserable Carys. “Being a virgin is a finite thing,” she bit out. “You either are or you aren’t. There’s no gray area.” “True.” He kept his tone to just the right level of amused and condescending guaranteed to drive her mad. “But sexual experience is a sliding scale. A marathon, as opposed to a sprint. You’ve barely stumbled across the starting line.”
“No,” he agreed huskily. “You’re not thin. Or willowy. You’re delicious. And I’m a starving man who wants to feast.”
“You have an excellent assortment of curves, Lady Carys. And curves are some of the most desirable forms in all of architecture. Beautiful and strong.”
Tropes
Regency Era, Outdoor Steam, Beta/Cinnamon Roll Hero, Historical Romance, Country Life, House Party, Ton Society, Titled Hero, Soldier/War Hero, Starchy Hero, Independent Heroine, Hoyden Heroine, Experienced Heroine, Bluestocking Heroine, Damaged/Tortured Heroine, Childhood Crush, Unrequited Love, Enemies to Lovers, Fling to Love, Opposites Attract, Architect Hero, Animal Lover Heroine, Plus Size Heroine, Four Star, Four Flame
RegencyEra, OutdoorSteam, Beta/CinnamonRollHero, HistoricalRomance, CountryLife, HouseParty, TonSociety, TitledHero, Soldier/WarHero, StarchyHero, IndependentHeroine, HoydenHeroine, ExperiencedHeroine, BluestockingHeroine, Damaged/TorturedHeroine, ChildhoodCrush, UnrequitedLove, EnemiestoLovers, FlingtoLove, OppositesAttract, ArchitectHero, AnimalLoverHeroine, PlusSizeHeroine, Fourflame, fourstar
