Sunday 28 July 2024

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 fiancĂ©e. 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