Review - - A Date at the Altar

A Date at the Altar
By Cathy Maxwell
Marrying the Duke - Book 3
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: October 25, 2016
  

Will the third time be the charm? A duke can’t marry just anyone. His wife must be of good family, be fertile, be young. Struggling playwright Sarah Pettijohn is absolutely the last woman Gavin Whitridge, Duke of Baynton, would ever fall in love with.

She is an actress, born on the wrong side of the blanket, and always challenges his ducal authority. She never hesitates to tell him what she thinks.

However, there is something about her that stirs his blood  . . . which makes her perfect for a bargain he has in mind: In exchange for backing her play, he wants Sarah to teach him about love.

And he, in turn, has a few things to teach her about men  . . .





For Gavin Whitridge, Duke of Baynton, the journey to love has not been an easy one. He lost his first potential bride to his youngest brother, Ben (The Match of the Century). True, Baynton had been betrothed to Elin Morris since they were children, had never paid much attention to her until he decided he was ready to marry, probably held deeper feelings for her father (his financial mentor after he inherited a debt-ridden estate from his own father) than he did for Elin, and Elin and Ben were deeply in love, but still...  For his second attempt at marriage, he handed the reins to his mother and aunt who chose a lovely young woman with no money but the proper bloodlines (The Fairest of Them All). Too bad Lady Charlene had already fallen for Baynton's long lost twin brother who returned to the family fold the very night Baynton and Charlene were introduced. In Maxwell's newest book, A Date at the Altar, Baynton finally finds true love and it is well worth the wait. 

I've been reading Cathy Maxwell's books for a number of years and have enjoyed many characters along the way but the Duke of Baynton and Sarah Pettijohn have evolved into two of my favorites. I couldn't have said that about Baynton at the beginning of the trilogy. He was a product of his upbringing: arrogant, inflexible, self-centered, and manipulative. There were flashes of a kinder, less selfish man but it isn't until his journey with Sarah in A Date at the Altar that he finally matures into a man worthy of his heroine's heart...and mine. Maxwell skillfully guides him through all obstacles along the way, allowing him to evolve organically, at a gradual pace, until, finally, his heart and mind are opened to what is most important in his life, in a sigh-worthy conclusion that I can't seem to stop re-reading. And, without giving anything away, let me just say that I adored this book's epilogue, delightfully titled "And so..." It is exactly what I hoped their life would be! 

Sarah, on the other hand, is a character who intrigued me from the time of her introduction in The Fairest of Them All (she's the heroine's aunt) and I was so excited to discover she was destined to be Baynton's heroine. I admire her intelligence, her determination to be taken seriously as a playwright, her fight for justice when she and others are taken advantage of, and the courage she displays in light of her tumultuous personal history. She may not have the proper background to be a duchess but I can't imagine anyone more perfectly suited to be Baynton's partner in life. And, without giving anything away, let me just say that I adored this book's epilogue, delightfully titled "And so..." It was exactly what I hoped their life would be! 

A Date at the Altar is a wonderful conclusion to an enjoyable trilogy. While this book does stand on its own, as stated above, Gavin/Baynton's journey plays out over the course of the three books which is why I strongly recommend reading them in order.

~PJ

Review - - The Fairest of Them All

The Fairest of Them All
Marrying the Duke - Book Two
By Cathy Maxwell
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: May 31, 2016

Lady Charlene "Char" Blanchard may have bloodlines that are the envy of every marriageable English miss, but she lacks the money to go with them. Raised by her aunt, her mother's half-sister who is an actress and aspiring playwright, after the deaths of her parents, Char would do anything to repay the woman who took her in, even if that "anything" includes secretly picking pockets to avoid being evicted from their home or attending a ball in the hopes of catching the eye of the very eligible Duke of Baynton. 

Jack Whitridge, younger twin brother to Gavin, the Duke of Baynton has not been seen nor heard from since he went missing from school at the age of 15...until the night he crashes the duke's ball just as Charlene has captured Baynton's attention. Of course, Charlene recognizes Jack immediately. He's the brash American who caught her picking the pocket of his associate, chasing her through the streets of London...and haunting her dreams since. But he's not the man she needs to focus on. She owes it to her aunt, a woman who has given her everything, to capture the heart of the Duke, not his twin.

Jack and Gavin have always had a tenuous relationship, fostered by their late father. Gavin was the dutiful heir while Jack was the "less than" spare who strained to assert his independence. Living in America these past 15+ years has given him the distance and time to develop into his own man: a lawyer and American patriot. He's been sent to England in an attempt to avoid war between the two countries and needs Gavin's help to smooth the way with a British war office that views him as a traitor to the land of his birth. In addition to that, he hopes to reconcile with the family he loves and has missed. In order to do that, he must step aside and leave the path to Charlene clear for his brother. But Gavin, quite socially inept when it comes to women, keeps pulling Jack back into his courtship and into Charlene's sphere. Of course, the more time Jack and Char spend together, the closer they grow, until their initial attraction threatens to burst into a roaring flame. And the more Jack comes to know Char, the stronger he believes she's the right woman for him and not his brother yet his honor compels him to not pursue her...until Gavin does something close to unforgivable that changes the course for all three of them...and one more surprising character as well.

I think the Marrying the Duke series is one of Cathy Maxwell's best and I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two books as well as the prequel novella. Jack and Char are a wonderful match, kindred spirits, and I pulled for their happy ending throughout the ups and downs of their entire fast-paced, sometimes dangerous, journey. Though Gavin is smitten with Char and eager to propose marriage, it's clear to me that what he loves is the "idea" of Charlene, not the real woman. He sees only the carefully constructed facade that her aunt and godmother hope will capture his heart, not who she really is. And, while Gavin has now lost two potential wives to his brothers I can't feel bad for him because he has yet to know real love and he deserves to find that, hopefully in Maxwell's next book, A Date at the Altar, due out October 25th. Considering who his heroine is, I think this next book has the potential to be a rollicking good time!

 ~PJ

Today's Special - - Cathy Maxwell

I'm always happy when Cathy Maxwell visits us here at the Romance Dish. Not only does it mean we can look forward to an enjoyable day with one of the nicest and funniest people on the planet but it usually means she has a new book out as well. This time, the book in question is The Fairest of Them All, second in Maxwell's Marrying the Duke trilogy and it's terrific. In fact, I think it's one of the best she's ever written and, based on the early reviews, I'm not the only one of that opinion. 

You can learn more about Cathy and her books at her website and connect with her online at Facebook and Twitter.

Welcome, Cathy!

More Than Looks

              What makes a character heroic? What sets him or her apart from all others?  What makes me, as a reader, fall a little in love as I travel through the story?

              Good questions.  Here are just a few of my must haves:

-  Courage.  I’ve found it takes great courage to live my life on my terms.  I make mistakes but I am determined to carry on and I expect that in my Romance heroes and heroines as well.  I guess some folks would call it “spunk” or “guts” or “perseverance.”   Whatever the name, characters who refuse to give up, even when everything is going absolutely wrong, make the story for me.

-  Flaws.  Who wants to be perfect?  Not me.   I’d bore myself.  Plus, I don’t think flaws stop a character from being heroic.  The most interesting stories are the ones where a person rises over her flaws to succeed, especially if she learns something along the way.

-  Kindness.  Let me also throw in the word “generous” as well.  This one is close to my heart. My late husband was one of the kindest people I have met.  It made him easy to live with. Not only do I look for the quality in every guy I date, but since I expect my Romance novels to be that forever kind of love, well, kindness needs to be present. 

- Humor.  I could not live without laughing.  Life would be so drab.  Plus, I think the best sort of love is where we can laugh at ourselves.  Whether the humor is smart aleck or genteel or slapstick, I must have it in my characters. Otherwise, they are not believable to me.  By the way, some of the best scenes I’ve read are the ones where the characters are being completely caught up in the moment but I laugh because I recognize myself. You know, where they are done in by their own shenanigans (I love that word.)

- Health.  When the heroine has glossy hair and the hero has white straight teeth--or vice versa—what we are really talking about is health.  Healthy people can enjoy life.  I don’t want to read about a character with rotting teeth.  Awck!  Can you imagine the kiss?  (No, please don’t. I apologize for putting the idea in your head. However, I do know a great zombish joke along those lines. So, someone could make it work, right?)

Those are just some of the characteristics I’ve enjoyed being celebrated in Romance literature.  There are many more and because you are a fan of The Romance Dish and a discerning reader, I bet you have a few fave characteristics, too.  So what makes a meaningful hero or heroine for you?  What hooks you into a character?  Care to share? 

And I should tell you, that I used many of these characteristics in my latest THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL.  This is the second book of the “Marrying the Duke” series.  I’m having a great time writing this trilogy.  A DATE AT THE ALTAR will be out the end of October.  Oh, and the first book is THE MATCH OF THE CENTURY. 

Now, let’s yak about what makes characters special.

Thanks, Cathy! I love the characteristics you've mentioned. They are all must haves for me as well. Readers, as I mentioned in my intro above, Cathy's upcoming book, The Fairest of Them All will be released into the wild next Tuesday, May 31st. It's one of my favorite books of the year and one of my all-time favorites by Cathy Maxwell. Because I enjoyed it so much, I'm giving away a Kindle copy of The Fairest of Them All to one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on today's post. Deadline for comments to be entered is 11:00 PM, Friday, May 27, 2016. 

The Fairest of Them All 

by Cathy Maxwell 

Publisher: Avon 

Release Date: May 31, 2016

The penniless orphan of a disreputable earl, Lady Charlene Blanchard thrives on the adventure of picking the pockets of unsavory gentlemen to survive. But due to her extraordinary beauty and prized bloodlines, she is hand-chosen as a potential bride for the Duke of Baynton, who is on the hunt for a suitable wife to provide heirs. All Char has to do is act the part she was born to play and charm a duke she’s never laid eyes on into proposing. Except the duke turns out to be the tall, dark and sexy stranger who just caught her red-handed as a thief! 

Or is he? Jack Whitridge is the duke’s twin who had “gone missing” over ten years ago. Now back in England, he knows that the supposed Lady who has his brother’s love is hardly duchess material—except he needs her to save his adopted country from war. He is willing to bargain with her heart, until he finds himself falling for Char . . . 

Review - - A Little Thing Called Love

A Little Thing Called Love
(a novella)
By Cathy Maxwell
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Release Date: September 22, 2015

Fyclan Morris has come a long way from his modest Irish roots. Educated, wealthy and successful, he's on the verge of being elected a director of the powerful East India Company and achieving all of his dreams, save one. His Romany-born grandmother had foretold it:

"You'll recognize her immediately," his Grand had said. "She'll be fair to your dark, a light to your step, a force you will not deny."

When Fyclan first sees Jennifer Tarleton on the street, he knows she's the one and is determined to meet her. When she reaches her destination, a private lending library, and he discovers his lass's love of books, the deal is sealed. There will be no other woman for him, regardless of the obstacles standing in their way. And there are many, seemingly insurmountable, obstacles.

Jenny Tarleton loves books. They are her refuge, her hope, her joy in a life fraught with strife. Her family doesn't understand but, then, they don't understand Jenny much at all. To them, she's a bargaining chip, a pretty object to sell to the highest bidder. The money her hand in marriage will bring them will erase her father's gambling debts, give her oldest sister's husband the promotion he craves and allow her other sister to marry where she wishes. None of them seem to care about Jenny's wishes. The only one who sees and appreciates Jenny for the person she is and not what she can bring them is the handsome Irishman who shares her love of books. Fyclan is certainly rich enough to meet her father's marriage price but he doesn't have the title her family craves and, unbeknownst to Jenny, he has a history with her father that makes him the last person her father would ever allow her to marry.

A Little Thing Called Love is the prequel to Cathy Maxwell's upcoming Marrying the Duke historical romance series. The first book in the series, The Match of the Century is the story of Elin Morris, the daughter of Fyclan and Jenny and will be released November 24th.

I thoroughly enjoyed Fyclan and Jenny's novella. It contains all the passion, humor and vibrant characters I've come to expect from a Cathy Maxwell story. At 86 pages, it's a quick read but I didn't feel at all shortchanged. Fyclan and Jenny pulled me into their world, into their hope, their despair, their passion and a love that refuses to be denied. I cannot wait to see them as parents and meet their daughter in The Match of the Century!

~PJ