eyes.2c Reviews

Devil in My Arms: A Loveswept Historical Romance (The Saint's Devils #3) by Samantha Kane   Lately there has been quite a swathe of regency romances that are taking on issues to do with the treatment of women at that time. Particularly to do with wives as property and no rights, leaving them open for domestic abuse.  This novel is another such using this background for the story's thrust. Eleanor Enderby flees from her abusive husband not once, but three times. In her latest attempt she hides out for three months before landing on her sister's doorstep dressed as a youth. She arrives at the same time as Sir Hilary St.John, a suave man about town and entirely eligible parti. Hil actually spends his time covering up for the Prince Regent when necessary, helping out the Bow Street Runners and at times and taking on investigative requests when interested enough in the problem to seek out the information needed. Eleanor and Hil's attraction is immediate. The relatio...

Seraphina (Seraphina #1) by Rachel Hartman A marvellous story! Insights into acceptance and belonging, racial tensions, hope and love. All set in a world where Dragons and Humans are trying to co-exist. Seemingly a long hard road to tread. (How did I miss reading this! It was only after I saw it on a fantasy list on Goodreads that I rechecked and found that I had for some unknown reason skipped over this. Well, a couple of years later I read it. Now I have to find out when the next book is out. It may even be out now. I must investigate.) After a dreadful war a peace has been made. The rules of behaviour for dragons amongst humans are fiercely controlled by the dragon's Excision Censors and are controlled amongst humans by fear and tradition. It is near to the advent of the dragon leader's state visit by General Comonot Ardmagar of All Dragonkind. The designated visit to the city Lavondaville, the capital of Goredd is to celebrate forty years of the treaty's existence. ...

Heart of Vengeance  (The Jewels of Tomorrow ) byTracy Cooper-Posey [Helena's] 'mouth was thick with the coppery  taste of fear.' Those words captured me, tainting the very atmosphere. The visceral reaction of this woman whose story I was about to follow was riveting. This opening scene takes place in 1197 in Oxford near to the court of Prince John. Posing within the court of John as a Norman, the Lady Isobel of Brittany, Helena of York is seeking the truth about her father's death and the consequences that followed for the villagers where Helena's father, the Earl of Wessex's body was discovered. Here Helena meets Stephen, Count of Dian, the 'Black Baron', once a close friend to King Richard and as chance would have it, a childhood playmate to the real Isobel. Stephen will in turn be puzzled by Helena, challenged by her, love her, protect her from her enemies and assist her in her quest for vengeance. He is quite a remarkable man for his times. The ...

The Triptych by Margit Liesche There is a lyrical quality to Leische's writing despite her gritty subject matter of war, betrayal, fear and death. Two main stories unfold, parallel to each other, set in different times yet linked by the commonalities of the unforeseen, of loss and of grief. The story moves in and out of 1956 to 1986, from Budapest and the Hungarian Revolution to Chicago; from 11 year old  Évike in Budapest to 37 year old Ildikó in Chicago, daughter of Hungarian refugees whose past is surrounded in secrecy.   ldikó's search for the truth about her roots and her mother's untimely death (was it an accident, murder or suicide?) under a Chicago train will take Ildikó to the Budapest of 1986, with Hungary still a satellite  of the USSR. Ildikó's search for her history is a revelation, particularly as the riddle of her mother's death, the fate of her mother's sister and the links between the now and the past are puzzling.  Ildikó sadly reflect...

A Christmas Hope by Anne Perry What a wonderful story. I have always liked Claudine Burroughs, a volunteer in Hester Monk’s clinic for sick and injured prostitutes. I like her pluck, her courage and her sense of fair play and justice. I cheer for the way she has stepped outside of the role society and her husband expects her to pursue, that of supportive wife and homemaker, of adhering to society's rules for women. She has taken up the cause of the less fortunate. In doing so she is receiving far more than she's gives, a sense of purpose. Life has become meaningful. Wallace of course hates her charity work. It is not gentile enough for his social aspirations. How I dislike her husband Wallace. A bully really who sees his wife as an extension of himself. To the point that Wallace dictates her in the wearing and buying of even her dresses. Her behaviour needs to support him ingratiate himself in society and up the ladder of business and success. Claudine's commentary ...

Art & Place: Site-Specific Art of the Americas     From Brazil to Central America, Mexico to the United States and through to Canada, from Andy Goldsworthy pieces to George Segal's Gardens. Be it endangered Richard Serra's Shift in a private field outside Toronto to Walter DeMaria's work, The Broken Kilometer, Soho, or the murals of Mexican artist, Jose Clement Orozco and of course Diego Rivera, amazing works are captured. The commonality is how these installations at once impose and merge with their landscape. The thing that strikes me most about the more historically current installations is the sheer delight of them, their playfulness. They are often things to wonder at, delight in. Whether that installation be in a field, in the desert, near the shoreline, they are amazing. Architecturally significant sites are included, buildings of significance, or other in situations specific to their site. Outdoor sculptures and art works in public spaces are part of thi...

The Commander's Desire by Jennette Green 715 AD Galwyddel, a Scottish kingdom far to the west of Northumbria. Caught on the horns of a dilemma, Elwytha has a choice to make, honour or vengeance. When Elwytha agreed to sue for a false peace with the waring neighbouring kingdom, little did she know that her plans would be thwarted time and time again. Elwytha was ordered by her brother, now King, to kill The Commander, overseer of their enemy's army, revenge for murdering their older  brother, King Thor, so foully. Her brother Richard, now King, plans to use Elwytha as the bait to trap their enemy and finally win the war. Elwytha searches for the truth. But truth was a will-o-the-wisp, eluding the outstretched hands of the seekers at every turn. Even though the outcome is foreseeable, I found the characters and the storyline engaging. The Prince, portrayed as a layabout with eyes that saw more than one guessed at. The Commander a man misjudged by his appearance, and the El...

Lord St. Claire's Angel (Classic Regency Romances) by Donna Lea Simpson Ah! Christmas time! It conjures up ideas of Yuletide logs, snow, and family! Including for the Lady Elizabeth, Marchioness of Langlow, that wretched rogue of a brother-in-law, Richard St. Claire, who turns the female staff on their collective heads and wreaks havoc on any maid foolish enough to be burnt. Dratted, dangerous man! When we first meet St. Clair he is at his despicable highborn worst, with no care for how their employers will treat his ex-flirts. The chase is the thing! The possibility that these susceptible young woman can be dismissed without a reference, thrown onto the refuse heap of humanity, ruined if not in deed then in fact is atrocious. With no prospects and no living these young women would be forced to make ends meet in whatever way possible. Thoughtless, selfish, cad! I was totally disgusted with St. Clair at this stage. Fortunately, he later exposes the sensitive side to his natur...

Trade Secret (Liaden Universe #17) by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller Mmm, here's the difficulty about reading a Liaden Universe I immediately want to reread those that have come before, thosethat come  after, those that follow other characters, and those that are just there in tandem. I settled for rereading Balance of Trade, but I've since found myself once more up to my elbows in all things Liaden, and enjoying every moment.    Having been a longtime fan of the Liaden Universe it's absolutely fantastic when another piece of the puzzle is revealed, opening up new vistas, sometimes solving old mysteries and ever, ever delightful. I first met Jethri Gobelyn in 'Balance of Trade'. Jethri, a Terran trader was adopted by the Liaden clan Ixin, having solved an issue that had impinged the clan's honour. Balance and Necessity, two Liaden concepts, part of Liaden melant'i (code of behaviour and order of things) came into play. At that time Jethri was looking for an...

The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh (The Marriage Game #2) by Ella Quinn England 1814, Napoleon is on Elba but things are afoot. Miss Anna Marsh returns from her London season accompanied by family friend Sebastian, Baron Rutherford. Anna has overheard Sebastian telling his friend Marcus that he intends to make a comfortable life with Anna. Anna is aghast. She's been in love with Sebastian since a small child but wants to be appreciated for herself, not merely thought of as a comfortable wife when the time came. Sebastian's secretly an intelligence officer for the British Home Office as was Anna's dead brother Harry. Sebastian is endeavouring to find out who's in charge of Harry's smuggling ring. Unbeknownst to him, that's Anna. Things are hotting up, rumours of French spies returning to English shores has the Home Office worried. Sebastian is dispatched back to Kent to discover what he may. Anna is continuing to run the ring by night, and her father's...

Daughter of the God-King by Anne Cleeland    Hattie Blackhouse arrives with her companion Miss Bing at her lodgings in Paris. In short order she pushes an intruder down the back stairs, finds out her childhood friend, Robbie Tremaine is unaccountably to be married in two days to the widow of a work acquaintance her parents, is approached at a soirée by an aging french roué, Baron du Pays, is introduced to the intruder, sought out by the enigmatic Monsieur Berry, and interviewed by an un-named official of the English government. Of course there is also a mysterious Comte. All seeking information about her parents strongbox. Oh, and Miss Bing's dead brother and Robbie's widowed fiancé dead husband worked with or for her parents in Egypt. Long neglected by her parents during her childhood whilst they spent their time pursuing their passion, Hattie does find it disturbing that though her parents neglected to provide emotionally for her, in their death have provided materially ...

Gareth: Lord of Rakes (The Lonely Lords #6) by Grace Burrowes    ...'scandalous, shameful, scounderlous bad man!' so Felicity Hemmings Worthington at one stage describes Gareth Alexander, Marquess of Heathgate. I must admit initially I had reservations about the plot. I really liked the main characters but, Yikes! the whole premise left me aghast and agape. Really I was halfway convinced that Burrowes had run amok and this novel was nothing more than a bodice ripper --albeit 'of the first water.' My perceptions were turned on their head. Gareth (the novel) emerged as an enthralling, deviously plotted Regency romance embedded in the idea of women and inheritance laws, reverting of land and titles to the crown where no male heir is found, ownership, brothels and prostitutes, and the legalities of this profession in these times. In an  interesting appendage Burrowes discusses these factors.        In this Lonely Lords episode a penniless spinst...