Title: Regency Christmas Parties
Author: Annie Burrows, Lara Temple, Joanna Johnson
Published: November 2022
Genre: Regency Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:

Three festive Regency stories in one collection

An invitation to...

Three seasonal Society parties!

In invitation to a Wedding by Annie Burrows, Clara’s immersed in a glamorous aristocratic wedding, but it’s captivating Lieutenant Hugo who sweeps her feet.

In Snowbound with the Earl by Lara Temple, Bella makes an unlikely ally of forbidding Lord Deverill to thwart an elopement – and gets stranded with him for Christmas!

In A Kiss at the Winter Ball by Joanna Johnson, Maria’s rescued from a snowstorm by Viscount Stanford, and receives a life-changing invitation.

My Review:

Delightful Christmas stories from three wonderful Historical romance authors!

The first story is a wonderful one. It’s about a schoolteacher who is invited into a glamorous wedding and Christmas party by her unruly former student. Clara is neither glamour nor rich but she is so compassionate. She had never expected that she would experience a high social party especially being fetched by Hugo, a relative from the groom. Both have completely misread the situation however Hugo always helps Clara when she is in dire need. I did love how the story worked, the instant affections they hold despite the misunderstanding and they gradually realize how wrong they are until they seize their happily-ever-after.

The second story has caught me from the very first banter between Bella and Lord Deverill. They captivated me unexpectedly. It’s enemies-to-lovers stories. Bella and Nicholas are trying to prevent their cousins’ elopement until Nicholas invites Bella to his home to ensure that Bella’s scheme succeeds. Ah poor Bella, after her parents’ demise, she was sent to her aunt and her spoilt cousin and since she never experienced a party like Nicholas holds. The witty banter between these two kept me amused over and over. I did adore Nicholas’s family, especially Emily. I was completely immersed in the family’s festivities!

The third story did intrigue me. It’s about a farmer’s daughter, Maria, who wants to prove that she’s capable of managing her father’s business however when she is leading the turkeys to be sold, she is lost and unexpectedly comes across a Viscount, Alexander. Alexander has an instant attraction when he first saw a red-haired Maria, but he’s going to be engaged. As the snow is getting thicker, Alexander invites Maria to stay until the road is cleared. Days after days, their feeling is growing until unexpected moments appear and it delightfully dragged me into a fairytale!

These three stories completely swept my feet into another time and world. It’s a bundle of moving, splendidly witty and immensely satisfying story. Sweet stories of Christmas festivities that bring you joy! Thank you, Lara Temple, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

Annie Burrows has been writing Regency romances for Harlequin since 2007. her books have charmed readers worldwide, having been translated into nineteen different languages, and some have gone on to win the coveted Reviewers' Choice award from CataRomance. For more information, or to contact the author, please visit http://annie-burrows.co.uk/, or you can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnnieBurrowsUK

Lara Temple was three years old when she begged her mother to take the dictation of her first adventure story. Since then she has led a double life - by day she is a high-tech investment professional, who has lived and worked on three continents, but when darkness falls she loses herself in the history and romance...at least on the page. Luckily her husband and two beautiful and very energetic children help her weave it all together. Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/laratemple1

Joanna Johnson lives in a pretty Wiltshire village with her husband and as many books as she can sneak into the house. Being part of the Harlequin Historical family is a dream come true. She has always loved writing, starting at five years old with a series about a cat imaginatively named Cat, and she keeps a notebook in every handbag - just in case. In her spare time, she likes finding new places to have a cream tea, stroking scruffy dogs and trying to remember where she left her glasses.

Title: Never Rescue a Rogue
Author: Virginia Heath
Published: November 2022
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Romance-Comedy, Frenemies-to-Lovers

Blurb:

Diana Merriwel and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain – not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle. But they do have one thing in common – the secrets they can’t risk escaping.

When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son’s birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined – and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…

My Review:

I so loved this book! Not only is this so entertaining and hilarious but also suspenseful and adventurous. I had been enjoying Diana and Giles’ relation from the first book so when I excitedly read this, I couldn’t stop it.

Diana’s life has been getting better since her sister married to Hugh, an Earl. She loves her life, her new family and her job as a nitpicking grammarian for a newspaper yet nobody knows that she is truly talented at her work that it can risk her reputation and life. On the other hand Giles always pretends as a rogue because he wants to irritate his father especially after he knew the threatening revelation.

I did immensely enjoy how the story went from the beginning to the last. When Giles’ father dies leaving so many mysteries of his life and the future of Sinclair estate, Giles decisively goes to Shropshire where he grew up and buries his father and invites Hugh’s family to accompany him. When Giles was explaining his family ancient story, I had an inkling that that someone was going to be the villain and it was surprisingly heart-pounding when that someone turned up. As Giles has no other choice but to ask for help from Diana, they begin their investigation and adventure, and I couldn’t put the book down!

Despite it, I had my own favorite character among the characters within, Dalton, as a supportive character, had captured and entertained me from the beginning!

It is thoroughly riveting story, full of lively humor and romance, gorgeously evocative and I loved the compelling family ties among the characters which make the story more fascinating and heart-warming. Miss Virginia Heath’s writing has always enchanted me!

Rate: 5 of 5

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.

 

Title: A Stolen Knight’s Kiss
(Protectors of the Crown miniseries Book 2)
Author: Melissa Oliver
Published: October 2022
Genre: Medieval Romance, Intrigue, Mystery, Enemies-to-Lovers, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:
An intense enemies-to-lovers story

Captured by a knight...

Rescued by his kiss!

When orphan Eva loses the father figure who’d protected her on the streets of London, she suspects the Knights Fortitude. But when she steals information from them, she’s caught by brooding knight Nicholas. Learning he might not be the villain after all, she puts her distrust aside to work with him, yet Eva must stay focused – and not get distracted when they share a stolen kiss!

My Review:

I was still blinking that I actually couldn’t believe I finished reading this book, pondering on Goodreads when the third book would be released because this miniseries is too good to skip!

Set in London, King Henry period, the Protectors of the Crown is gathered to safeguard the King and his advisors. It’s the second book from its series telling about Nicholas d’Amberly one of the knights, which is too handsome and irresistible when a stolen pouch makes him inevitably encounter with Eva, a clever thief. I so loved how this story progressed from a mere encounter into a sweet one, albeit a bit adventurous and suspenseful.

Well apparently the pouch isn’t merely a pouch but it consists of priceless and precious ring and crucial missive that Nicholas and his friends have to decipher to figure out a threatening group, The Duo Dracones. Eva needs the pouch to obtain the promised money she was offered from The Duo Dracones so that she could escape London, start an ale business and have a new life, yet it turns out that she has to deal the trade with Nicholas as she cleverly remembers the inscribes within the lost missive and wants to avenge her father-figure notorious thief in London, Simon.

Dang I didn’t think that the desire between these two characters would be that brisk despite the state of affairs, when Nicholas is confronting Eva in her room for the theft, then he catches both Eva’s hands, pushes her on the wall and unwittingly kisses her, my heart was shamelessly beating so fast at that moment. Not only did Eva intrigue Nicholas but also she intrigued me, she is quite interesting as a thief.

Ah this book completely mesmerized me, I never thought a London thief could be so utterly clever, fascinating and innocent and half-naked Nicholas holding an axe and chopping wood could make me drool.  Apart from them, I was helped to wander off the London Bridge and River Thames from Melissa Oliver’s immersive and engaging writing. I just loved her writing and this story! Thank you, Melissa Oliver, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

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

 

Title: Reclaiming His Runaway Cinderella
Author: Annie West
Published: October 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Presents, Mills & Boon Modern, Enemies-to-Lovers

Blurb:

Reawakening unresolved passion complicates everything in USA TODAY bestselling author Annie West’s 50^th book for Harlequin!

She ran from their wedding...

Now the Italian has found her!

After years of searching, Cesare Brunetti finds his wife, Ida, cleaning homes to make ends meet. The Cinderella heiress fled mere hours after their vows, even though he was the one blackmailed into the convenient union!

Cesare intends to finalize their divorce. Yet he hadn’t counted on discovering Ida’s total innocence in their marriage sham. Or on the attraction that rises swift and hot between them beneath the Tuscan sun... before they say goodbye for good, dare they indulge in the wedding night they never had?

My Review:
This book has the tropes and characters I’m particularly fond of! A convenient marriage that turns out to be inconvenient, a runaway bride, an innocent red-haired heroine, and an Italian hero are my things. Whooopss...

It’s a story of Cinderella heiress, Ida whose grandfather, Calogero, is so ruthless. She agrees to marry Cesare, her grandfather’s enemy to be freed of Calogero while she knows nothing regarding the feud between him and Cesare. Meanwhile Cesare is forced to marry Ida to save his grandfather’s company and the employees, to bring Calogero into justice after his crime and he also was denied access into elite society.

On their wedding night, the scared Ida has to endure Cesare’s vicious remarks that he doesn’t want to sleep with her despite his strong sexual desire towards her. Feeling hurt and unwanted, Ida runs away from him. Ah Ida is so entirely innocent inside and outside, she is too kind, too innocent and too compassionate but those are what I loved from her. On the other hand, Cesare pleads that he won’t be deceived by women and love like his father. To be frank he is the epitome of Italian hero I adored in Harlequin Present. After four years, Cesare tracks down his wife to finalize the divorce and there the inconvenient marriage becomes convenient again.

Well this book completely bewitched me from the beginning. Annie’s vivid and fascinating writing helped me get lost in the characters, the plots, the dresses Ida wears and the beautiful Tuscan countryside. There’s no other word that could utter how much I loved this story, additionally the epilogue warmed my heart. Thank you, Annie West, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed and congratulations on your 50^th book!

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

USA Today Bestselling author Annie West loves writing passionate, intense love stories. She has devoted her life to and in depth study of tall, dark charismatic heroes who cause the best kind of trouble in the lives of their heroines who are a perfect match for those strong stubborn men is one of her all time favorite things. As a sideline she’s also researched dreamy locations for romance, from vibrant cities to desert encampments and fairytale castles.

Annie won the Romantic Rimes Reviewers’ Choice Award for ‘Protected by the Prince’ and the Australian Romance Writers’ Romantic Book of the Year Award for ‘Damaso Claims His Hair’. Romantic Times said in its review of The Sheikh’s Ransomed Bride ‘This is what a love story could be’.

As well as writing for Harlequin/Mills and Boon, Annie also publishes shorter contemporary romances like her Hot Italian Nights e-novella series.

She lives with her family at beautiful Lake Macquarie on the east coast of Australia, situated neatly between spectacular sandy beaches and gorgeous wine country. She loves reading, good company, good food, long walks and travel.

You can catch Annie’s news at her website www.annie-west.com or via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/anniewest.author . She loves to hear from readers and you can contact her at annie(at)annie-west(dot)com. To sign up for her email newsletter with behind the scenes information and updates, go to https://madmimi.com/signups/109660/join

 

Title: Tempted by Her Outcast Viking
(Shieldmaiden Sisters Book 2)
Author: Lucy Morris
Published: September 2022
Genre: Historical Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical, Enemies-to-Lovers

Blurb:

A passionate Viking romance

Tempted by the warrior...

But she’ll never wed!

Brynhild had once been close to Erik – until he’d betrayed her, and she’d hoped never to see him again. Now the fiercely independent shieldmaiden needs Erik’s skills to rescue her sister. Striking a truce with the tough, isolated loner, they reach mutually beneficial deal: help her and, in return, she’ll help him in his quest to find a wife – by teaching him how to please a woman in bed!

My Review:

What an immersing book! I enjoyed reading it so much that I didn’t realize its ending. Brynhild and Erik captivated me from the beginning until the last and I couldn’t wait to read the third book!

Brynhild and Erik might be childhood friends but as a thrall, Erik had hideous treatment from his father, Ulf (every time Ulf appeared, I felt like wanting to joggle him because he is really more irritating here). Meanwhile Brynhild always feels that her family is completely reliant on her as Valda, her sister, sailed after the wedding.

What captivated me more were its rich historical details and places, Erik’s mother was Persian and a thrall that is what makes him a thrall and half-Persian too but eventually he purchases and releases himself from his cruel father. Erik and Brynhild have unfinished issues when they were young therefore when they meet again, Erik is craved to apologize but he never expected that he would be tempted by her, she looks more beautiful with her strong tall physique, and long blonde hair. He very much desires her as she is as equal as him. (Well, I did also adore her because she is very kind and compassionate).

When Helga, Brynhild’s fragile sister is kidnapped, both Erik and Brynhild go on a journey to rescue her yet never did they imagine that they will be induced by their desire. I immensely enjoyed their journey because it was so immersing and imaginable, thank you, Lucy Morris, for your engrossing writing.

I never wondered that this book could be, wow, so entirely engrossing. It successfully brought my emotions out from the very first chapter to the last, especially how heart-wrenching Erik’s past was and how distressing Brynhild’s position is despite being strong shieldmaiden. Furthermore Erik’s revelation took me by surprise. The ending, I was so entirely preoccupied by the story that I didn’t realize its ending. I couldn’t believe this book hooked me from the first page to the last! Thank you, Lucy Morris, for this ARC which I voluntary review.

Rate: 5 of 5

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