Pieces Of Sky-Kaki Warner

Pieces Of Sky

Kaki Warner

Berkley, Jan 2010, $15.00

ISBN: 9780425232149

In 1869, humiliated pregnant heiress Jessica Thornton decides to leave England after being raped by her brother-in-law John Crawford.  She heads to the home of her brother George Adrian in the New Mexico Territory fearing it may cost her property she owns in Northumberland to abusive John, but staying might mean her life.  However, the coach she rides crashes.

Brady Wilkins joins the coach, which soon afterward crashes.  He gets help and soon takes the English runaway and the other stranded people to his nearby ranch RosaRoja.  As she heals and stays behind after the others leave, they fall in love in spite of her delicate condition.  However, she fears John will come and harm her host; and he has his own trepidations involving his brothers and the ranch.  Their pasts will give them no choice but to bond in love

This is an exciting western romance that will be on the short list of fans as one of the sub-genre’s best books of the year due to the dark grittiness of the plot.  The lead couple is a wonderful pairing of “Her Ladyship” and a rancher with both having issues to face.  Those issues arrive to haunt each of them and intrude on their growing love for one another.  The first of the tales of three brothers, Pieces of Sky is a winner.

Harriet Klausner

Jane Eyre-Charlotte Bronte and Wayne Josephson

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte and Wayne Josephson

Readable Classic, Oct 2009

ISBN: 9780615324449

Jane Eyre was orphaned as a young girl, but though starving and the recipient of much cruelty from her aunt she perseveres.  She is sent to boarding school where she is victim of abuse, but instead of caving in, she got stronger.  Jane obtains work as the governess at Thornfield Hall where she falls in love with her employer, brooding Mr. Rochester.  However, instead of a happy ever after, they are forced to separate leaving her poor and alone.

Although purists will complain that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, others like Mr. Josephson will disagree that in this case it may not have been broke in 1847 when first published, but is showing syntax rust as languages changes over a century and a half make even a classic read rigid.  Just think of how obsolete Beowulf and the Canterbury Tales would be without translations.  Although this reviewer was concerned having read the original in high school four decades ago, Mr. Josephson succeeds in doing this with a light touch that does not take way from Ms. Bronte’s Victorian saga.  Readers will appreciate his deft skill to enable the modern day audience to appreciate a classic.

Harriet Klausner

Scoundrel’s Kiss-Carrie Lofty

Scoundrel’s Kiss

Carrie Lofty

Zebra, Jan 1 2010, $5.99

ISBN: 9781420104769

In 1201 in Toledo, the Kingdom of Castile, Lady Ada of Keyworth is addicted to drugs.  She owes a fortune to unsavory people and desperately needs her next dose, but has nothing to sell.  Apothecary storeowner Hamid implies she has one last item of value.  In exchange for the tincture, he will sell her at a sex auction.

Novice monk Gavriel de Marqueda rescues Ada, but believes she may prove to be his savior.  Before taking his final vows, the celibate monk must redeem a lost soul.  The problem Gavriel faces is his desire for the woman who is his quest.  As Ada struggles with withdrawal, they travel together to his monastery while he hides his need behind icy aloofness.  Ada believes she needs to help him withdraw from the demons eating at his soul.

This medieval romance is a terrific tale that focuses on what we believe is modern issues of drug addiction (what Opium Wars?) and priestly celibacy.  The lead couple is a fabulous pairing who bring alive the era and the problems they face.  Fans will enjoy this fine tale and seek the previous Scoundrel’s story (see What A Scoundrel Wants) as Carrie Lofty provides a profound timely tale.

Harriet Klausner

Early Dawn-Catherine Anderson

Early Dawn

Catherine Anderson

Signet, Dec 29 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780451228741

In 1887 the vicious Sebastian gang killed his wife of five years Olivia after gang raping her.  For the next three years Matthew Coulter has lived for one thing only: vengeance.

In 1890 her engagement to John Parrish ends when his high society parents rejected her lineage and spread gossip about her illegitimate birth.  Selling their house, Eden Paxton accompanied by her mom Dory leaves San Francisco by train to spend time with her brother Ace Keegan (see Keegan’s Lady) and his wife in Colorado.  She never makes her destination as the Pacific Express heading to Denver is robbed and she is taken for pleasure and to be sold in Mexico.

Matthew tracks down the gang of robbers and rescues Eden.  Instead of begging him to escort her to Ace, she joins him on his vendetta.  As they fall in love, each looks back at what motivated them to go after the Sebastian gang.

This exciting sequel is fast-paced from the moment the heroine is abducted and never slows down until the final confrontation.  The cast is solid especially the lead couple and the vile gang whose nastiness is evident from witnesses like Matthew’s family and by readers when they debate taking Eden in their camp or keeping her pure for sale south of the border.  Although the cast is somewhat stereotyped, Catherine Anderson provides a strong American romance as life in the Old West can prove dangerous but also can foster love.

Harriet Klausner

Seduced by a Rogue-Amanda Scott

Seduced by a Rogue

Amanda Scott

Forever, Jan 2010, $6.99

ISBN: 9780446541343

 

In 1375, his beloved older brother Alex, the Sheriff of Dumfries, sends Rob Maxwell to collect money that clan Maxwell believes clan Dunwythie owes them.  Lord Dunwythie rejects the claim stating he pays his fees and taxes to the king.  He returns home empty pocketed to the admonition of his sibling.

 

Rob meets the heir to the Dunwythie estate, Lady Mairie.  Though attracted to her, he places his clan above his libido and concocts a plan to use her as a pawn to obtain the money due his kin.  He kidnaps her expecting her father to pay ransom for his beloved daughter.  Alex offers to rescue Mairie from the unknown “stranger” for a fee. He knows that his brother is the kidnapper but his adversary does not know the identity of the abductor.  Outraged by the mercenary demand, Dunwythie calls in a favor from Clan Douglas.  With war brewing between the clans, Rob and Mairie fall in love, but both place their clan above their personal needs.

 

Seduced by a Rogue is another great Scottish medieval romance (see Tamed by a Laird) as the lead couple finds love amidst their battling clans.  Filled with fourteenth century history, the story line is fast-paced from the moment Mairie and Rob meet and never slows down as readers will wonder whether this pair will share the fate of Romeo and Juliet.

 

Harriet Klausner

A Duke’s Pleasure-Tracy Ann Warren

A Duke’s Pleasure

Tracy Ann Warren

Avon, Jan 12 2010, $7.99

ISBN: 9780061673429

 

In 1789 Nottinghamshire, England, eleven year old ducal heir Edward Byron meets the Earl of Edgewater.  Immediately afterward his father and the earl introduce a stunned Edward to his fiancée newborn Claire as the two dads made a deal.

 

In 1811 Claire receives a letter from Edward, now the duke that he is coming to marry her.  She has seen him three times in her twenty-two years of life: as a newborn, as a little girl and when she was sixteen.  She fell in love with him as a teen, but he sees her as a duty.  Claire needs Edward to jilt her so she sets in motion a plan to achieve her goal; instead he kisses her and Claire knows she is in trouble.

 

At Clybourne House, Edward’s sister Mallory greets Claire with enthusiasm.  At dinner she meets his twin brothers and another single sibling Drake the genius.  Edward receives a note and leaves abruptly.  He goes to the prison where he finds traitor Lord Everett dead with a knife in his chest and no witnesses.  Meanwhile Claire continues to try to get her fiancé to dump her, but she fails even when she becomes notorious as Claire the Dare doing the outrageous while he investigates who in the Ton is spying for the French.

 

The lead couple has a fascinating history though they met only three times before while his sister Mallory is a terrific support character though what appears to be a setup for a sequel has been overdone.  Adding to the overall fun is a locked door murder mystery inside a prison.  Although Edward is too patient with Claire for someone used to being obeyed and a major coincidence is the key to resolving the plot readers will enjoy this strong investigative Regency romance.

 

Harriet Klausner

 

Sexy as Hell-Susan Johnson

Sexy as Hell

Susan Johnson

Berkley, Jan 2010, $7.99

ISBN: 9780425230206

 

In 1892, after winning at cards, Baron “Oz” Lennox rushes out to the Blackwood Hotel to meet Nell in a tryst before her spouse returns from Paris.  He enters the agreed upon room, but instead of a red-head he is greeted by a blonde who ignores him and turns to her barrister Mr. Malmsey to insure he will serve as a witness.

 

Thus Oz’s luck with the ladies has changed as he asks Isolde Perceval what she wants from him.  She calmly explains she wants her reputation ruined so she is not forced into an unwanted marriage.  Oz offers a different plan as he too would like to continue his wastrel ways without threats from the marriageable biddies.  They agree to marry with plans to divorce soon.  However, they prove quite compatible in and out of the boudoir.  When Isolde becomes pregnant, Oz leaves for London, but the rake finds no enjoyment without Isolde, who misses him too.  She follows him, but his many enemies see her as the heel’s Achilles’ heal.

 

Filled with action especially of the erotic kind, Sexy as Hell is an intriguing Victorian romance.  The lead couple indulging selfish behavior makes them refreshing as they are atypical of the usual honorable noble.  Fans of Susan Johnson will enjoy their hedonistic escapades although the story line is emaciated outside the boudoir.

 

Harriet Klausner

Proof by Seduction-Courtney Milan

Proof by Seduction

Courtney Milan

Harlequin HQN, Jan 2010, $7.99

ISBN: 9780373774395

 

In 1836 fortuneteller Madame Esmeralda is comfortable in her vocation as she feels she provides a service by informing her customers with information they need to know.  Twelve years as Madame Esmeralda has made humble impoverished Jenny Keeble all but disappear.

 

Her favorite client Ned arrives with his cousin, Blakeley, Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely.  Ned explains that Gareth is a skeptic that Madame can predict the future.  A scientist just back from an expedition in Brazil, Gareth plans to prove Esmeralda is a fake.  However is scheme to expose the charlatan has a major roadblock; his attraction to her, which makes him wonder if she is an enchantress, but will he accept proof of the heart?

 

This is a terrific early Victorian romance starring a wonderful somewhat inflexible lead male and a totally unique female who challenges his decisions when everyone else fears to contradict his dictatorial rulings.  The story line is fast-paced but driven by the relationship between the scientist and the fortuneteller.  With a strong secondary cast starting with Ned, this reviewer can predict that sub-genre fans will relish Courtney Milan’s delightful historical.

 

Harriet Klausner

A Lady Like Sarah-Margaret Brownley

A Lady Like Sarah

Margaret Brownley

Thomas Nelson, Dec 29 2009, $14.99

ISBN: 9781595548092

 

In 1879 on his way to Texas, Reverend Justin Wells is five days beyond St. Louis when he sees the vultures flying, which means someone or an animal is dying.  Having left Boston and his flock in disgrace, Justin knows he must see if he can help..  He finds a severely wounded U.S. Marshal who makes him vow to take his prisoner to Texas.  However, he is stunned as the prisoner is not a lad in red boots, but a woman whose hair matches her footwear.

 

Sarah Prescott is an outlaw from a family of lawbreakers.  She removes the bullet from Marshal Owen before they begin the trek to Rocky Creek.  On the road, the two seemingly opposites find common ground as they fall in love.  However, when Owen dies, the law assumes she killed him because she is a Prescott although she insists she is a lady; only the preacher and his sidekick Timber Joe might save her life as she has saved the soul of the former.

 

This is a wonderful at times amusing western romance starring two people who on the surface seem totally inappropriate for one another yet God works in mysterious ways.  Fans will enjoy the Americana romance between the exiled Boston preacher and the exiled Prescott outlaw as Justin and Sarah fall in love.

 

Harriet Klausner

The Courteous Cad-Catherine Palmer

The Courteous Cad

Catherine Palmer

Tyndale, Jan 1 210, $12.99

ISBN: 9780842375559

 

In 1817 in Yorkshire, Prudence Watson tells her sister Mary that she will never marry but follow in the footsteps of her crusader friend Betsy.  Mary points out that Elizabeth “Betsy” Fry is married with children.  Pru insists she may never wed or have offspring, although she acknowledges Betsy does work hard to improve the plight of the poor women whose options are limited.

 

Prudence aims at reforming mills with a desire to rescue children who work exorbitant hours in unsafe and unhealthy conditions.  Her first target is the mill in Otley, owned by Royal Naval officer William Sherbourne, just home from a deployment at sea.  As the reformer and the cad mee, argue and fall in love, each has secrets that society tattler Miss Pickworth seems to know.

 

The latest Miss Pickworth Regency romance is an enjoyable tale due to the solid lead couple as the resolute reformer refuses to answer to anyone except God while the Courteous Cad answers to the crusader and both respond to that telltale tattler.  Although several subplots never ties back to the gender war, fans will enjoy the latest Miss Pickworth alliteration as these affectionate adversaries fall in love.

 

Harriet Klausner