Review of Lady Jenny's Christmas Portrait

LADY JENNY'S CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT may be purchased here.

LADY JENNY'S CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT

Grace Burrowes

Lady Genevieve "Jenny" Winfield is used to being shuttled between members of her large family, as the only unmarried female left in the family.  While visiting her sister's family, Jenny meets Elijah Harrison, who has come to do a potrait of her nephews.  Elijah hopes the portrait of children will help give him admittance into the Royal Academy of Artists.  Jenny, who has great promise as an artist, helps Elijah, and they grow closer.  

LADY JENNY'S CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT is an enjoyable regency romance with lovable characters and a charming plot.  Jenny wants to pursue her art, but in the male-centric society, in which she lives, this is almost an impossible task.  Because of this, Jenny is determined to go to Paris, where women are allowed to study art.  Jenny is a likable character, but she is a little hard-headed about some things, which I found annoying.  Elijah is a great hero, who loves his family and is loved by children and cats.  Elijah makes a great hero, because he encourages Jenny's art and pushes her to excel.  These two make a great couple, for it is evident that they are made for each other.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

Review of Unclaimed

UNCLAIMED may be purchased here.

UNCLAIMED

Sara Humphreys

Tatianna Winters, a hybrid from the Timber Wolf Clan, wants nothing to do with her Amoveo shifter heritage, especially the destined mate aspect.  When Tatianna's sister asks her to come to the Amoveo prince's ranch to help with his horses who have fallen ill, Tatianna, a veterinarian, reluctantly agrees.  Dominic Trejada, a Guardian for the prince really wants to find his mate, because`his time is running out.  Unfortunately, an Amoveo shifter must find his/her mate by the time they turn thirty or they lose their powers.  Luckily, Tatianna turns out to be Dominic's mate, but convincing her of that fact may prove difficult.  To top all of this off, Dominic and Tatianna must deal with purists and a human group, bent on the destruction of the prince and his followers.

With likable characters and an intense, action-packed plot, UNCLAIMED is a wonderful addition to the Amoveo Legend series.  Tatianna is a strong, intelligent woman, who refuses to accept a mate, whom she doesn't pick, even if she is greatly attracted to Dominic.  Dominic is a strong, determined male, but he will not force Tatianna to accept him.  I really liked the fact, that Dominic gave Tatianna the space and time to discover her true feelings.  While the villain is fairly easy to discern, the action and danger make the story intense and gripping.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

Review of Prince of Shadows

PRINCE OF SHADOWS may be purchased here.

PRINCE OF SHADOWS

Tes Hilaire

Valin, a Paladin warrior, is the black sheep of the warriors, for while he has a lightness about him, there is, also, a darkness.  Even his special power of moving through shadows, puts him in a grey area more than the other warriors.  Valin knows that Gabriella, a succubus vampire who fights against her dark side, is his mate.  Unfortunately, Lucifer's minions are trying to gain power, and Gabriella and Valin are in their way.

PRINCE OF SHADOWS makes a good addition to the Paladin warrior series, even though it took me awhile to get into it.  However, once the action picked up, I became enthralled by the plot and became invested in the characters, especially Gabriella.  Gabriella is the daughter of a succubus and was turned into a vampire by her evil stepfather at the age of fourteen.  Gabriella's stepfather has tortured her and tried to turn her to the evil side for years.  Now, that her stepfather is thought to be dead, Gabriella is working with humans with special powers to stop evil creatures.  The Paladins know nothing of this human group, but Valin is searching for Gabriella.  When Valin finds Gabriella, the humans keep him and another Paladin in their center to keep an eye on them.  Valin tries to get close to Gabriella but is hesitant to tell her his true feelings.  Since his wife and unborn child were killed, Valin is having trouble letting go of the past, and Gabriella, who has been tortured for years, thinks herself unlovable.  It is wonderful watching these two grow to love and sacrifice for each other.

While the pacing is a little slow to start, PRINCE OF SHADOWS ends with a bang, and this reader grew very attached to the characters.  I can't wait for the next book in the series.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review. 

Review of the Marriage Wager

THE MARRIAGE WAGER may be purchased here.

THE MARRIAGE WAGER

Jane Ashford

Lady Emma Tarrant is forced to support herself by gambling after her despicable, gambler husband is killed.  Emma can't call on her family for help, because her father has disowned her for eloping with her deceased husband, who only wanted her money.  Emma has, finally, returned to England after traveling in Europe for seven years.  While at a gaming house, Emma notices Lord Colin Wareham, who she thinks is fleecing a younger man.  Lord Colin Wareham, the fifth Baron of St. Mawr, has recently returned to England after many years fighting against Napoleon.  Colin, whose mother has been parading debs in front of him, finds that he has become impatient with the frivolity of London society.  Emma is determined to save the young man from ruin and confronts Colin, who finds Emma intriguing. 

THE MARRIAGE WAGER is an enjoyable Regency romance with complex characters.  Emma is a strong, intelligent woman, who has to adapt to take care of herself after putting herself in the hands of a selfish, uncaring husband.  Colin, who has survived the horrors of war, hasn't come out untouched. Colin has nightmares and bouts of depression due to the horrors that he has witnessed.  It is wonderful watching the relationship between these two, slowly, grow and mature into a great love.  The only slight problem, that I have with the book, is that it took a little bit too long for Emma to confide her problems to Colin.  However, I can understand her need to deal with her problems by herself, since she has been having to do just that for years.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.