Review - - The Scoundrel In Her Bed

The Scoundrel In Her Bed
by Lorraine Heath
Sins for all Seasons - Book 3
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: February 26, 2019
Reviewed by PJ

The bastard son of a nobleman, Finn Trewlove was a shameful secret raised by a stranger. As Finn came of age, he had secrets, too—the clandestine nights spent with an earl’s daughter. But her promise of forever ended in betrayal.

Driven by a past that haunts her, Lady Lavinia Kent seeks redemption in London’s underworld, engaged in a daring cause inspired by the young man to whom she gave her innocence, and who then proved himself a scoundrel by abandoning her.

When their paths cross again, they can’t deny the yearning and desire that still burns. As they discover the truth behind the deceptions that tore them apart, Finn and Lavinia must fight to reclaim what they’ve lost, no matter how dangerous—because love is worth the risk . . .

My thoughts:

Angst, betrayal, redemption, sacrifice, gut-wrenching emotion, and a cross-class, soul-stirring love that will rip your heart to shreds then slowly, carefully, completely, mend it back together, stronger than ever. They all take center stage in this beautifully written novel by Lorraine Heath. 

I usually enjoy Lorraine Heath's books but this one takes a special place among my Heath keepers. I was hooked from the opening pages and remained immersed in the story until the very end, not just reading about these characters but experiencing their journey with them. Heath filled me with just about every emotion possible with this tale. Keep the tissues handy. You're going to need them. 

I'm not usually fond of flashbacks but they worked for me in this case. By using them in the first part of this book, Heath gives us an intimate look into a young, tender, and forbidden first love between Finn and his Vivi...before everything goes to hell, both believing they've been betrayed by the other. The price each pays is devastating and life-altering. When next they meet, several years later, each has undergone a transformation, making a reconciliation nearly impossible. Yet, the deep love they once shared still lurks beneath the pain and bitterness that has festered over the years. What follows is a deeply emotional opportunity to begin again, right the wrongs, and recapture the happiness that was stolen from them.

My heart absolutely broke for these two. What they went through was so heart-wrenching and what was done to them, absolutely despicable. The phrase, "forged in fire" seems appropriate for what they are forced to endure before finally finding happiness together. I fell hard for Finn. He has such a tender heart. And Lavinia. She's been through hell, dealing with it in the only way she feels she can, and faced with decisions no one should have to make. I wanted to wrap my arms around both of them and make everything better, make those decisions they are forced to make less devastating. 

When characters still linger in my mind weeks after reading their story, when what was done to them still elicits tears of outrage and sorrow, when their hard-won love soothes the pain of their journey and leaves me confident in their happiness, that is a book that's deserving of my highest recommendation and a place on my Best of 2019 list. Keep your tissues handy - it's going to be a roller-coaster ride of emotions - but do not miss The Scoundrel In Her Bed by Lorraine Heath. 


Are you reading this series?

Do you enjoy romances that take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride?

What's your favorite Lorraine Heath novel?




  

Avon Tour Review & Giveaway - - Devil's Daughter

Devil's Daughter
by Lisa Kleypas
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: February 19, 2019
Reviewed by PJ

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he’s a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband’s life a misery, and she’ll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself...as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire...not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn’t bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She’s the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil’s daughter knows…

My thoughts:

Halfway through the first book in this series, I was already begging for West to have his own story. By the time his book went up for pre-order and I discovered his heroine would be Phoebe, Evie and Sebastian's widowed daughter, I was over the moon with anticipation. I am happy to report that Devil's Daughter met all of my expectations...and then some. 

I've always had a soft spot for reformed rakes and Kleypas creates some of the best with Derek Craven, Sebastian (St. Vincent), and West Ravenel all near the top of my list. I wanted to hug young West and tell him everything would be okay and hug grown-up West and tell him how proud I was of how he'd turned his life around. I fell hard for his humor, his heart, his respect for those working his brother's estate, and his willingness to roll up his sleeves and work alongside them. I loved his playful side, evidenced in his relationship with Phoebe's two young sons, his sexy side, when his desire for Phoebe was given full reign, and his heartfelt apology for the actions of his youth. His vulnerability made me ache for him and want to jump into the pages of the book so I could fix everything. Luckily, for West, he had another reformed rake in his corner to help put things on the right path and wasn't that delicious. I do love it when one of my favorite heroes meddles in the life of another!

Phoebe is a wonderful blend of her parents and just what West needs in his life, as West is exactly what she needs in hers. I loved her hands-on relationship with her young sons and the lively interactions with her siblings. I enjoyed her humor and her stubborn determination and I appreciated her ability to forgive. It was fun watching her evolve from a grieving widow with uninspired sexual experience and little knowledge of her son's inheritance into a self-assured woman eager to explore her own sensuality and ready to take charge of her world. She's a great character on her own but I adored her with West. They have "meant to be" written all over them. 

Of course, a bonus of Phoebe being the heroine of this novel is that Kleypas gifts readers with plenty of delicious page time with Evie and Sebastian. Especially, Sebastian. No complaints here. I'll happily take all I can get!


Are you reading this series?

Do you enjoy revisiting characters from a previous series in new books?

Who is your favorite Lisa Kleypas hero?

One person who leaves a comment on this post before 11:00 PM, February 24, 2019 will receive a print copy of Devil's Daughter. (U.S. only)

Connect with Lisa Kleypas

Website: https://lisakleypas.com/

Facebook: @LisaKleypas

Twitter: @LisaKleypas

Instagram: @LisaKleypas

Buy links for DEVIL’S DAUGHTER:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yd3aftfc

IndieBound: https://tinyurl.com/ycr862mk

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/ydhwzv3f

Books-A-Million: https://tinyurl.com/yahfn6su

iBooks: https://tinyurl.com/yapuz923

GooglePlay: https://tinyurl.com/yarh9xp9

Review - - Old Dog New Tricks

Old Dog New Tricks
by Roxanne St. Claire
The Dogfather - Book 9
Release Date: February 15, 2019
Reviewed by PJ

Daniel Kilcannon, the veterinarian known as the Dogfather, has been widowed for four years. He's spent the time running the largest canine rescue and training facility in North Carolina and pulling some strings to make sure each of his six grown children find a love like the one he lost when his beloved Annie died. 

But as the years slip by, Daniel's vow to never love again is starting to make him restless. When a woman who was pivotal to his past arrives in Bitter Bark, he wonders if her appearance is coincidence or the guiding hand of his dearly departed wife...but the truth is neither. She's about to change his life again in ways he could never have imagined. And Daniel isn't sure if his heart -- or his family -- will ever recover from the impact.


My thoughts:

Get ready for a beautifully written, deeply emotional, often humorous, and always heartwarming story of two characters who, after devastating loss, relearn the joy of opening hearts to life, to love, and to the possibility of a second happily ever after. 

I adored this book. I devoured it in one sitting then returned to the beginning for a slower read, savoring all its delicious nuances. After coming to know Daniel over the course of this series, I was fully invested in his journey back from the depths of life-shattering grief. It was never a secret that Daniel would eventually find love again but St. Claire kept readers guessing as to the identity of the woman who would bring that love back into his life. She couldn't have created a better heroine or a better story for these two. The writing is flawless, the story realistic and deeply emotional, and the ending had my heart, and tear ducts, overflowing with joy. In my opinion, it's some of St. Claire's best work. 

Old Dog New Tricks is a heart-tugging, life-affirming, deeply romantic journey between two characters who may have snow on the roof, but still hold plenty of fire in their souls. I can't imagine anyone reading it and not falling in love with Daniel, Katie, and the entire Kilcannon family, including the four-legged members. Old Dog New Tricks also gives readers another look at the Kilcannons' Mahoney cousins (firefighters!) and introduces the Santorini kids, all single and ripe for matchmaking. St. Claire has announced that she has  stories planned for all of them. I can't wait! 

As with the other books in the series, the cover of Old Dog New Tricks was shot at Alaqua Animal Refuge in Florida using rescue dogs and local men (not models). A portion of the book's sales will be donated to Alaqua to help save animals and place them in forever homes. 

Are you reading this series?

Who did you think would be Daniel's second-chance heroine?

Do you enjoy romance heroes/heroines with some life experience? 

I'm giving a Kindle copy of OLD DOG NEW TRICKS TO one randomly chosen person leaving a comment before 11:00 PM, February 16. 

Review - - The Military Wife

The Military Wife: Heart of a Hero
by Laura Trentham
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: February 5, 2019
Reviewed by PJ

Harper Lee Wilcox has been marking time in her hometown of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina since her husband, Noah Wilcox’s death, nearly five years earlier. With her son Ben turning five and living at home with her mother, Harper fights a growing restlessness, worried that moving on means leaving the memory of her husband behind.

Her best friend, Allison Teague, is dealing with struggles of her own. Her husband, a former SEAL that served with Noah, was injured while deployed and has come home physically healed but fighting PTSD. With three children underfoot and unable to help her husband, Allison is at her wit’s end.

In an effort to reenergize her own life, Harper sees an opportunity to help not only Allison but a network of other military wives eager to support her idea of starting a string of coffee houses close to military bases around the country.

In her pursuit of her dream, Harper crosses paths with Bennett Caldwell, Noah’s best friend and SEAL brother. A man who has a promise to keep, entangling their lives in ways neither of them can foresee. As her business grows so does an unexpected relationship with Bennett. Can Harper let go of her grief and build a future with Bennett even as the man they both loved haunts their pasts?

My thoughts:

Laura Trentham will break your heart and then stitch it back together, stronger than ever, in this poignant, heart-wrenching, and, ultimately, life-affirming story about the men and women who protect our country on the front lines and those on the home front - the spouses, children, and families - whose contributions, and trials, are no less significant.

One of the strengths of Trentham's contemporary romances is her ability to create richly complex and realistic characters into whose lives I become completely invested. The same is true of The Military Wife, her first foray into women's fiction. She brings these characters to vivid life in a convincing portrayal of honor, duty, sacrifice, fear, survivor's guilt, grief, and love. They all notched places for themselves in my heart, taking me along on each of their journeys and wringing my emotions with the challenges they face. 

The writing is flawless with seamless transitions from present to past that enable the reader to fully understand the events, and people, that have brought the primary characters, Harper, Bennett, Allison, and Darren to this point in their lives. I especially appreciated the insight gained through the flashback chapters that tell the story of Harper and Noah's courtship and marriage as well as those telling the story of Noah and Bennett's close friendship. Experiencing those journeys with them makes the present journey Bennett and Harper are traveling, both individually and as a couple, all the more satisfying. The secondary characters, as well, are all vividly crafted and realistic. 

Those of you who have read Trentham's other books should be aware that while The Military Wife is women's fiction and there are some serious issues dealt with, there's also plenty of sexual tension, humor, deep emotion, and, for the romance lovers among us, a happy ending. I highly recommend it. (Keep the tissues handy.) 

Tour Review - - Playing for Keeps

Playing for Keeps
by Jill Shalvis
Heartbreaker Bay - Book 7
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: January 22, 2019
Reviewed by PJ

If you’re planning on falling in love…

When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s yoga pants, he’s a suit. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

you’d better be sure…

Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

… someone is there to catch you.

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

My thoughts:

I really loved this story. Among all the books of Jill Shalvis's career, I think it stands out as one of her best with Sadie and Caleb as one of my favorite Shalvis couples. Talk about your complex characters. As their back stories began to unfold, revealing the events that have brought them to this point in their lives, I wanted to hug them both and then cheer for how far they've come. Sadie's story just about broke my heart. As it unfolded, it was easy to see why she was prickly and determined to keep her past a secret, why she was so certain revealing her true self would deem her unlovable. Caleb, of course, is much more than his appearance would suggest as well, as Sadie comes to discover. I adored him for his tenderness, patience, and staunch support of Sadie, even though he does hit a few potholes along the way. It's a rocky road to a happy ending for these two but oh, so worth it in the end. 

Shalvis surrounds Sadie and Caleb with an eclectic group of secondary characters who bring an added richness to the story. Leading the pack, of course, is Lollipop, the three-legged stray dog Sadie and Caleb co-rescue. I fell just as hard for this adorable pup as they did. Joining Lollipop are the heart-of-gold motorcycle club guys at the tattoo shop where Sadie works, Ivy, the taco truck owner who gives Sadie insight into the fact that Caleb is much more than the appearance he projects with his perfect, high-dollar suits, Caleb's overprotective, if well-intentioned, mother and sisters, Sadie's misguided and dismissive family, and Naoki, an important character in Caleb's life whose contributions to this story are endearingly poignant. They all come together to create a heart-tugging, emotional, romantic journey that is going straight to my keeper shelf. 

If you enjoy character-driven contemporary romance with emotional depth, humor, charm, complex issues, and hard-won happy endings, I highly recommend Playing for Keeps. This book is not only going straight to my keeper shelf, it's also going to my Best of 2019 watch list. 

Don't let the fact that this is the 7th book in a series scare you off. While a few previously introduced characters make appearances, this book stands on its own. 

 

Excerpt

“Sadie.”

She shook her head.

“Look at me. Please?”

It was the damn please that had her opening her eyes. He’d closed the gap so that if she so much as took a breath, they’d be touching.

So she did just that. She took a deep breath, and then their bodies were up against each other, his warm and hard. Everywhere. “What’s happening?” she whispered.

“I believe you’re deciding between kicking me in the nuts and kissing me.” One side of his mouth curved very slightly as he lifted their still joined hands above her head, against the wall.

“But that last part might just be in my dreams.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Yes, it’s just in my dreams?”

She meant to say yes again, she really did.

She even opened her mouth to say it, because this was insane, this incredible . . . craving she had for him. It made no sense. Less than no sense, and yet . . .

She went up on tiptoe and touched her mouth to his.

Have you been reading the books in the Heartbreaker Bay series?

Do you enjoy animals in your romances?

Do you enjoy books where characters have to overcome significant emotional hurdles to achieve their happily ever after? 

One person who leaves a comment before 11:00 PM, February 7 will receive a print copy of Playing for Keeps. (U.S. addresses only)

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill Shalvis

Website: http://jillshalvis.com/

Facebook: @JillShalvis

Twitter: @JillShalvis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillshalvis/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/

Tumblr: http://jillshalvis.tumblr.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22370.Jill_Shalvis?from_search=true

Tour Review - - The Lost Girls of Paris

The Lost Girls of Paris
by Pam Jenoff
Publisher: Park Row (Harlequin)
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Reviewed by PJ

1946, Manhattan

One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work, Grace Healey finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Unable to resist her own curiosity, Grace opens the suitcase, where she discovers a dozen photographs—each of a different woman. In a moment of impulse, Grace takes the photographs and quickly leaves the station.

Grace soon learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, leader of a network of female secret agents who were deployed out of London during the war. Twelve of these women were sent to Occupied Europe as couriers and radio operators to aid the resistance, but they never returned home, their fates a mystery. Setting out to learn the truth behind the women in the photographs, Grace finds herself drawn to a young mother turned agent named Marie, whose daring mission overseas reveals a remarkable story of friendship, valor and betrayal.

Vividly rendered and inspired by true events, New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff shines a light on the incredible heroics of the brave women of the war and weaves a mesmerizing tale of courage, sisterhood and the great strength of women to survive in the hardest of circumstances.


My thoughts:

I've read enough novels by Pam Jenoff to know better than to start reading one of her books in the evening. I ignored my inner monitor, did it anyway, and turned the final page at 3:30 AM. Yes, I was completely worthless the next day but it was so worth it. 

Inspired by actual people and events during WWII, The Lost Girls of Paris is filled with everything I've come to enjoy in a Jenoff novel. The author's meticulous research immerses the reader in the 1940's, both during and following the war. The transitions from 1946 New York City to 1943 London to 1944 France were flawless, with spot-on pacing that held my attention from beginning to end, and vivid descriptions that took me on an incredible journey. Told primarily from the points of view of three women, this story follows ordinary women leading extraordinary, incredibly dangerous lives as secret agents during the war and the young woman who stumbles upon their story a few years later. It's filled with danger, tension, betrayal, anguish, bravery, suspense, sacrifice, and heart...and I couldn't look away. 

Jenoff has a talent for creating fully-dimensional characters that pull me into their hearts and minds. I care about them. I'm invested in their lives and their happiness. I applaud their success, fear for their safety, celebrate the joy in their lives, and grieve their losses. My emotions were all over the place as I read this book because that's what a Pam Jenoff story does. It makes me feel.

Another thing Jenoff does in her books is teach, though you don't realize how much you've learned until you finish the story. While reading this book, I was fully immersed in the journey of the characters. It wasn't until the next day, when I began reflecting upon what I'd read, that I realized how much I had learned about this part of history that was made in England and France during the war. I knew nothing about this group of female secret agents who were smuggled into France to aid the resistance against the Nazis but through Jenoff's fictional characters, I feel as if I've come to know and understand at least a small part of the real women who were members of this exceptionally brave unit. 

If you enjoy historical fiction, WWII fiction, women's fiction, or just an exceptionally well-written book that teaches you, touches you, and fills you with emotion, don't miss Pam Jenoff's newest novel, The Lost Girls of Paris. I highly recommend it. 

Have you read any of Pam Jenoff's books?

Had you ever heard of the female secret agents of England's Special Operations Executive?

One randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on this post before 11:00 PM, 29 January 2019 will receive a paperback copy of The Lost Girls of Paris. 
(US/Canada only)

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Pam Jenoff

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Pam Jenoff was born in Maryland and raised outside Philadelphia. She attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Cambridge University in England. Upon receiving her master's in history from Cambridge, she accepted an appointment as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. The position provided a unique opportunity to witness and participate in operations at the most senior levels of government, including helping the families of the Pan Am Flight 103 victims secure their memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, observing recovery efforts at the site of the Oklahoma City bombing and attending ceremonies to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of World War II at sites such as Bastogne and Corregidor.

Following her work at the Pentagon, Pam moved to the State Department. In 1996 she was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland. It was during this period that Pam developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust. Working on matters such as the preservation of Auschwitz and the restitution of Jewish property in Poland, Pam developed close relations with the surviving Jewish community.  

Pam left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. She worked for several years as a labor and employment attorney both at a firm and in-house in Philadelphia and now teaches law school at Rutgers. 

Pam is the author of The Kommandant's Girl, which was an international bestseller and nominated for a Quill award, as well as The Winter Guest, The Diplomat's Wife, The Ambassador's Daughter, Almost Home, A Hidden Affair and The Things We Cherished. She also authored a short story in the anthology Grand Central: Original Postwar Stories of Love and Reunion. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and three children. 

Review Tour:

Monday, January 28th: The Romance Dish

Tuesday, January 29th: The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, January 30th: Lit and Life

Thursday, January 31st: Just One More Chapter

Monday, February 4th: Literary Quicksand

Tuesday, February 5th: Reading Reality

Tuesday, February 5th: Tar Heel Readers

Wednesday, February 6th: French Village Diaries

Thursday, February 7th: Broken Teepee

Friday, February 8th: Kahakai Kitchen

Monday, February 11th: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Tuesday, February 12th: Rockin’ Book Reviews

Wednesday, February 13th: A Bookish Way of Life

Friday, February 15th: View from the Birdhouse

Tuesday, February 19th: A Holland Reads

Wednesday, February 20th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Thursday, February 21st: Patricia’s Wisdom

Monday, February 25th: Amy’s Book-et List

Tuesday, February 26th: Books and Bindings

Wednesday, February 27th: A Chick Who Reads

Friday, March 1st: Musings of a Writer and Unabashed Francophile