Carole´s Monday: Mr Cavendish, I presume

Author: Julia Quinn

Title: Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

Series: Two Dukes of Wyndham #2

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 383

Published: September 30, 2008

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

There went the bride...

Amelia Willoughby has been engaged to the Duke of Wyndham for as long as she can remember. Literally. A mere six months old when the contracts were signed, she has spent the rest of her life waiting. And waiting. And waiting... for Thomas Cavendish, the oh-so-lofty duke, to finally get around to marrying her. But as she watches him from afar, she has a sneaking suspicion that he never thinks about her at all...

It's true. He doesn't. Thomas rather likes having a fiancée—all the better to keep the husband-hunters at bay—and he does intend to marry her... eventually. But just when he begins to realize that his bride might be something more than convenient, Thomas's world is rocked by the arrival of his long-lost cousin, who may or may not be the true Duke of Wyndham. And if Thomas is not the duke, then he's not engaged to Amelia. Which is the cruelest joke of all, because this arrogant and illustrious duke has made the mistake of falling in love... with his own fiancée!

Review:

I waited a while before reading this one after book 1. This one overlaps a lot and is told in Amelia's  and Thomas' POV (they were sides in book 1). 

Amelia and Thomas have been engaged since they were pretty much babes. Amelia has been waiting all her life to marry him. Even when they reached the appropriate age for marriage she was told to wait....and wait. Does he intend to marry her? He does....eventually. When he starts to realize that Amelia is more than just a convenient step in life, his long-lost cousin arrives. His long-lost cousin could take his role as Duke away. If Thomas is NOT the duke....then he is not actually engaged to the Amelia. 

I hate Thomas. I really do. He's boring and annoying and dumb. He only truly realized he "loved" Amelia because another man might be the actual duke and want to marry her instead. GAH. Amelia is an angel and deserves far better than Thomas. 

Now here you would expect me to say that I warmed up to Thomas? Right? NOPE. Big fat NOOOO for me. I still hold true that Amelia deserves better. 

I did enjoy the switch of POV but bleh. Thomas sucks. 

All-in-all, it was entertaining but Amelia deserved a better person. 

3 stars. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Okay

Reading Challenges: 

- Library Love #32

Marriage and Masti by Nisha Sharma

By: Nisha Sharma

Narrated by: Vikas Adam, Soneela Nankani

Series: If Shakespeare Were an Auntie, Book 3

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Release date: 08-27-24

Contemporary romance/from bookbeat.fi

Veera and Deepak used to be friends. Then their companies merged, her dad fired her, Deepak became CEO and well a whole mess. So now she has been travelling with her sister. Her dad is toxic and Deepak is to marry someone just to secure the company. Oh and she likes him.

But then things goes south and oops suddenly Veera and Deepak are married. Obvi they fall madly in love too.

Veera was nice and trying to find out what she wanted to do with her life. Deepak was a sweetie and he truly needed her in his life. Her sister was rather judgmental, and her dad evil. Deepak had a nice family though.

I have read the other two books and this one was just as fun.

And the audiobook has Vikas Adam narrating and I do love him. Soneela Nankaani is always great too so this was a nice mix

Veera Mathur has been through a lot in the past year. Both of her friends found soul mates, the man she fell in love with got engaged to another woman, and her father fired her before selling the family company. When her twin sister, Sana, tells her there is no way of getting her old life back, Veera feels lost at a single, unemployed mess with a bad tattoo and tons of talent, but nowhere to go.

Deepak Datta hasn’t had the best luck either. To secure enough board votes for the CEO position at his family's company, Illyria Media, he’s ready to marry board member and famous beauty influencer, Olivia Gupta. That is until he wakes up to a get ready with me video announcing their separation. Despite his immediate relief, Deepak needs to do something fast to repair his image.

After a series of convenient mishaps bring them together again—including a literal shipwreck, way too many drinks, and a sunset elopement on the beach—Deepak and Veera realize their accidental wedding might be the solution to their career aspirations. Together, they plot against the very company that ruined their lives in the first place.

As they try to convince the world their friendship was a ruse for romance they’ve felt all along, the line between fake and real begins to blur. Now Veera and Deepak must ask themselves the terrifying question that has haunted them since the first time they will love ruin everything?

Carole´s Review: Apprentice to the Villain

Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Title: Apprentice to the Villain

Series: Assistant to the Villain #2

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 368

Published: August 8, 2024

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

NOTICE TO STAFF: There has been a disturbing increase in cheeriness, sprightly behavior, and overall optimism of late. Please resume your former dark, ominous terrors at your earliest convenience. ―Mgmt

Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office.

But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs―Kingsley’s included―point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.

Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.

But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?

Review:

When I finished book 1 I HAD to get book 2 read. I was on the waitlist and I was 7th in line. To my surprise it came WAY quicker than I thought. Weeeeee!

We continue where we left off. Things happen and Evie and the Villain are back at it. Evie has never been happier in her life as being an assistant to the Villain. She also can't get him out of her head. Romance will have to wait since Rennedawn and all of magic is in grave trouble. Evie, her boss, and her co-workers will have to step out of their comfort zones and be the heroes. 

The end of the last book had me so upset! Such a cliffie! Luckily I got this and I'm a happy bean. The ending for this one was slightly cliff-hanger-ish....but not as bad so I'm amused. I still want to get my hands on book 3 asap but I can wait a bit. 

The romance is sooooo slow but it works for them. They have issues and there is a LOT going on. All of magic and Rennedawn need help. 

Lots of twists and turns here. I didn't want to stop reading but life gets busy so it took longer than I wanted to finish this. 

I enjoyed this much more than book 1. Surprising I know!!! Book 2s are so 50/50. Sophomore curse and all. 

There were a couple of cringey moments but it a slight YA so it comes with the category. 

But yes. I'm enjoying this series and I recommend it if you like fantasy, comedy, and a splash of romance. 4 stars from me. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Better

Reading Challenges: 

- Library Love #31

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

11/19/2024 Have you ever met someone famous? Tell us!

Nope, no one famous at all. Not even someone semi famous. Not even someone Finnish famous

11/26/2024 Which books are you looking forward to reading this Winter? (Dec-Feb)

12/3/2024 What is your favorite breakfast food?

12/10/2024 What are your favorite books/audiobooks that you read in 2024? 

12/17/2024 Do you enjoy reading holiday-themed books at the holidays or year-round?

12/24/2024 Taking a break (no question)

12/31/2024 How do you celebrate New Year's Eve/the new year?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.