Title: How the Wallflower Wins a Duke
Author: Lucy Morris
Published: July 2024
Rate: 5 of 5
Genre: Fake-Dating, Regency Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:

Be tantalized by this spicy Regency romance

Maria Fletcher’s Rules:

Rule 1: Send life composing music in peace. Do not worry about finding a husband.

Rule 2: If must marry about finding a husband, marry for love only or commit to becoming a spinster.

Rule 3: Resist urge to spend time with the sinfully sexy Duke of Framlingham, who clearly does not believe in love.

Rule 4: Never ever say yes to said duke’s wicked plan for us to silence society’s expectations with a fake engagement...

But what happens when this wallflower breaks every single rule?

My Review:

When Pride and Prejudice collided with The Bridgeton ...

Oh dear, I had to fan myself when Lucy Morris announced that she was writing an alternative character to Mary Bennet in her next book! I was so excited as I have such a fondness for Mary.

After the humiliation she suffered some time ago, Marina is committed to devoting her life for music and being a spinster. Not only does she play the instruments, but she also composes her own music. Meanwhile, as the daughter of loving and compassionate parents, she is determined to marry only for love, even though she doesn’t come from a noble family.

After his father and step-brother’s demise, Brook must accept his role as a spare heir to become the new Duke of Framlingham. He also has to deal with the mess left behind by his mother. However his attractiveness has left society in awe, encouraging prospective mothers and their daughters to be part of the duke’s family.

To gain freedom from the nagging society, Brook needs to find a fake fiancée. When he meets Marina and her family, his determination to make her one leads them into a fake courtship. The story isn’t only about how Regency romance works, but the book also has a strong content of architecture and music that can live up to your imagination.

Lucy Morris is one of my favourite authors. Her writing in the Viking era was absolutely captivating and this Regency is no different! I loved how Lucy was able to recreate the character of Mary Bennet in Marina Fletcher. Her creation of the Duke also brought the fun and excitement to the story. The annoying nemesis irked me at times, but I found their ridiculousness strangely amusing. I also loved the Fletcher’s family bond and Brooks’s mother.

All in all, it is a fun read with lively and lovable characters wrapped in Regency romance. Lucy Morris’s writing is beyond exceptional, bringing each period to life with such vivid detail and intriguing cast of characters.

About the author

Lucy Morris lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two young children and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves gin, bubbly and Irn-Bru. She is a member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association and is delighted to begin her publishing journey with Harlequin Historical in 2021 with her first release ‘The Viking Chief’s Marriage Alliance’.

She adores writing strong, passionate women and the brave honourable men who fall in love with them. Weaving her fascination with the dark age of medieval Europe with her compulsion to give her characters a happily ever after. But only after they’ve had an adventure along the way. Follow her on twitter https://twitter.com/LMorris_Author
 

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

Title: My One-Night Heir
Author: Natalie Anderson
Published: June 2024
Rate: 5 of 5
Genre: Harlequin Presents, Mills and Boon Modern, Surprise-Baby

Blurb:

He’ll break every rule to claim his Cinderella...and his surprise heir! A new first-person, billionaire romance by USA TODAY bestselling author Natalie Anderson!

“She’s had my son...and this is the first I’ve heard about it.” Too busy serving the rich and famous to even think about romance, waitress Talia Parrish has never so much as kissed a man... Until she meets obscenely gorgeous Dain Anzelotti. Their oh-so-brief encounter leaves her with delicious memories – and a baby boy! Dain runs his multibillion-dollar empire from Brisbane. Sticking to an ironclad coparenting contract with Talia should be easy, especially as connecting with his son feels so natural. But when their scorching chemistry refuses to burn out, Dain’s hunger for Talia risks turning into something far more complicated...

 My Review:

A spicy first-person romance set in Australia-New Zealand from Harlequin Presents took me onto a new journey of exploration!

I had a very different experience reading this Mills&Boon/Harlequin and it was the first time I read from the first-person POV. It was so interesting to understand Talia and Dain as they raise their son.

Independently living her life with some jobs she does, Talia cannot refuse when her friend asks for help to be a waitress in a luxurious restaurant. Well, I could understand why Talia mistakenly thought that Dain is part of the entertainment and is mesmerized by the half-naked Dain, because, to be honest he seems to be tantalisingly tempting, standing there like a statue from Greek mythology.

With the flirting and unexpected passion that sparks from their first encounter, they end up in a steamy gondola scene and I tell you, it’s so steamy! And, of course, it has an unexpected consequence.

Talia is so independent and caring. After her traumatic upbringing, she is determined not to rely on anyone. But, Dain is also determined to take care of both Talia and his son, even though his past keeps haunting him.

It is a dual emotional and dramatic story, written from a first-person perspective. It’s full of passion and very endearing - two flawed characters try to overcome their past and present.

About the author

USA TODAY bestselling author Natalie Anderson writes emotional contemporary romance full of sparkling banter, sizzling heat and uplifting endings – perfect for readers who love to escape with empowered heroines and arrogant alphas who are too sexy for their own good. When she’s not writing, you’ll find Natalie wrangling her four children, three cats, two goldfish and one dog … and snuggled in heap on the sofa with her husband at the end of the day. Follow her at https://natalie-anderson.com/ or her Instagram account authornatalieanderson.

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

Title: Stranded with Her Forbidden Knight
Author: Melissa Oliver
Published: June 2024
Rate: 5 of 5
Genre: Enemies-to-Lovers, Forbidden Love, Medieval Romance, Mills & Boon Historical, Harlequin Historical

 

Blurb:

Experience the drama unfolding in this medieval forbidden romance set around the wild Cornish coast

Caught between duty...

And forbidden desire!

Lady Elowen is travelling to her loveless arranged betrothal when she’s rescued from a storm by Lord Simon Trebarr – the enigmatic knight whose family has long been enemies of her own. She should hate him, yet an unwanted attraction has always simmered whenever he’s near... within the walls of Simon’s Cornish castle, can Elowen resist experiencing passion before condemning herself to a life without it...even if it’s with the man who should be her enemy?

My Review:

Would you like to be stranded with the kindest of knights in this Medieval romance set in Cornwall?

In this forbidden love, not only has some tragedy brought despair to Elowen and Simon, but also determined their future. Elowen is no longer a vivacious lady after what had happened to her brother. That is what Simon thinks when he meets Elowen on the day her father announces her next betrothal. As a new lord, Simone must make peace between Elowen’s family and his, yet the long feud between these two families just creates another tension and conflict. What I couldn’t bear was the way her family treats her. It’s so painful to see that she has no choice over her own life.

When Simone rescues Elowen on her perilous journey, I felt really glad because, despite their family feud, he is gentle, kind and caring. The spark of their attraction is as powerful as when they were young. With the unclear choices and future, with the powerful passion that they can’t deny, I was entirely taken into their tumultuous journey, feeling every moment of their struggle and longing.

The story is admirably soul-stirring. While being taken into the story, I was also entertained by the vivid and evocative setting of Cornwall. After what they have endured, I was absolutely happy that the ending worked out for Elowen and Simon.

About the author

Melissa Oliver is from southwest London, UK, where she writes historical romance novels. She lives with her lovely husband and three daughters, who share her passion for decrepit old castles, grand palaces and all things historical. She won the Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers from Romantic Novelists’ Association in 2020 for her first book, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel for inspiration, paint, and visit museums and art galleries. If you want to find out more, follow Melissa on Twitter https://twitter.com/melissaoauthor

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com
 

 

Title: All’s Fair in Love and War
(Miss Prentice’s Protegees #1)
Author: Virginia Heath
Published: May 2024
Rate: 5 of 5
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Romance-Comedy, Opposite-attracts, Enemies-to-Friends-to-Lovers

Blurb:

A new Regency romp of a series, about governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges, clashes with the children’s uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.

When the flighty older sister of former naval captain, Harry Kincaid, decides on a whim to accompany her explorer husband on an expedition to Egypt, he finds himself unwittingly left in the lurch with her three unruly children and her giant, mad dog. With no clue how to manage the little rascals, a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all of his attention, and no idea when his sister is coming back, Harry has to hire and emergency governess to ensure that everything in his ordered house continues to run shipshape. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls prepared to pay whatever it takes to get a governess quick sharp to bring order to the chaos.

Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledging governess Georgina Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything that hers wasn’t, filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational ethos. Their staid, stickler-for-rules uncle however, is another matter entirely...

My Review:

Who doesn’t love a swoon-worthy naval captain with endless compassion for his nieces and nephew?

This first book in the series starts off by introducing the main characters for this series and the slow pace is designed to keep up with the plot. Harry’s ordered world is suddenly turned upside down when his sister leaves her three children to be looked after while she is away for around three months. His life is dedicated to building a career in the Admiralty after his past failures thus he must find a governess to educate her three unruly children, Felix, Marianne, and Grace.

Georgie is still unemployed at Miss Prentice’s school, when all her friends have managed to get jobs. After living with her stepfather, she loathes all the strict things about the navy but when a desperate naval captain requires a governess, she has to keep her mouth shut to get the job.

I loved this book so much because of the children within. Felix, Marriane, Grace, and their dog Norbert are all the stars of this book. Their lawless behaviour brings so much fun and joy throughout the story. I loved how educated Georgie is and how thoughtful and compassionate Harry is. Their quote-misquote pattern was so amusing. The story is undeniably entertaining, full of adventure and heart-warming turn of events. Their attraction might be slow but it burns all the way to the satisfying end.

About the author

When Virginia Heath was a little girl, it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated – sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. One day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep. Follow her at https://www.virginiaheathromance.com/ or her facebook page Virginia Heath.

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

 

Title: The Warrior’s Forbidden Maiden
(The Warrior of Wales #2)
Author: Lissa Morgan
Published: May 2024
Rate: 5 of 5
Genre: Medieval Wales, Historical Romance, Childhood Lovers, Mills and Boon Historical, Harlequin Historical

Blurb:

Will forbidden love become forever love in this medieval romance?

The warrior’s fiercest battle?

His duty versus his desire...

Seven years ago, Llywelyn was ready to renounce everything to become a monk. But on the eve of his departure, he shared a forbidden night with his childhood sweetheart, Cristin. Then his world was turned upside down by the death of his brother...which left Llywelyn as his family’s sole heir, duty bound to fight on the battlefield. Now a hardened warrior, he’s reunited with Cristin. But will he return to his vocation...or remain with his love?

My Review:

Looking for a medieval romance set in the beautiful Wales and featuring childhood lovers? Then this is the book for you!

Set in the stunning Wales, I was thoroughly taken into the characters and the story from the beginning. Llywelyn, a monk-to-be, must become a warrior and lord after the death of his brother, although he despises the thought. When he takes over the castle after the Norman invasion, he meets his childhood sweetheart, Cristin. After seven years of separation, his desire for her never vanishes. Well, our hero might be fierce and stubborn, but his affection for Cristin is utterly endearing despite her status. Our read-haired heroine, Cristin, is loyal to the core. Even when she needs help herself in times of danger, she continues to protect and serve her lords. I loved how passionate, strong and brave Cristin is. Moreover she is determined to enjoy her time with Llywelyn even though the future may not bring them together.

I couldn’t tell you how much I enjoyed the anguish and emotional rollercoaster of the story and how ugly a war is. Despite this, Lissa Morgan managed to balance it with the cutest cat which isn’t afraid of Llywelyn, the beauty of Wales, its mound and wildflowers. The festivities were written so vividly that I could imagine myself being there. The obstacles that Cristin and Llywelyn face with their status quo, made me wonder what choice they would make and whether they would be happy but, hey it’s romance! In fact, the ending was absolutely beautiful, uplifting and heart-warming.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the second book of The Warrior of Wales. Lissa Morgan has always brought something quite refreshing to the table. A picture of Wales and characters you feel engaged with. Thank you, Lissa Morgan, for the digital copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

About the author

Lissa Morgan hails from Wales but has travelled far and wide over the years, usually in pursuit of the next new job, but always pursuing her passion for the past along the way too. She once worked as tour guide at Hampton Court Palace where she donned her sumptuous Tudor gowns – replicas of course – in Catherine of Aragon’s chambers! Now a part-time web designer, Lissa lives in rugged north-west Wales surrounded by medieval castles that provide the perfect inspiration for her writing. Follow Lissa on her website: https://lissamorgan.com/, facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lissamorganhistoricalromance or Twitter: https://twitter.com/LissaMorganAuth

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com