eyes.2c Reviews

The Lady and the Highlander   ( A Highland Fairytale #3)   by  Lecia Cornwall.                                  A highland version of Snow White and the Hunter. Present is the wicked stepmother of Laire MacLeod. A darkly cold woman who beguiles and enchants men, using their female offspring to ensure her own continued beauty. Laire is the young daughter of the bewitched laird who fights for her family and her love. We have seven young people, thieves bonded together to form a clan whom Laire seeks shelter with. Then we have the Hunter, Iain Lindsay, bonded to Lady for seven years, whose gain saying of his Lady will come at a terrible price. From a highland perspective, a take on an old age story of evil and the purity of love freely given. A breathtaking read of a fairytale reimagined. A NetGalley ARC *****

The Highland Guardian (Lords of the Highlands #3)       by  Amy Jarecki     When Scotsman Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth promises a dying companion to become guardian of his child, Reid's thinking a young lass who could be placed in Boarding school. Imagine his shock when then lass transmorphs into a young, attractive Sassenach woman of marriageable age. Reid's fall back plan is to marry her off quickly so that he can continue down the path his responsibilities lead. When  a devastated Audrey Kennet learns of his plans for her, she decides she has plans of her own. Not so easy! Especially as the air fairly crackles between Reid and herself.  On the sidelines, yet significant, the players are an English officer who revels in torment and cruelty and an illegitimate, somewhat deranged cousin of Audrey's who is eyeing off her inheritance.  When these two join forces both Audrey and Reid are in danger.  Threats from outsid...

Enchantress of Numbers: A Novel of Ada Lovelace   by Jennifer Chiaverini Fascinating look into the life of Lord Byron's daughter, Ada Byron King, a gifted mathematician and visionary. Rigorously guided by an overbearing, fearful mother who's one concern is that her daughter not have the contagion of excessive passion that her father did, it's no wonder Ada's brilliance found an outlet via reasoning and calculations. Her relationship with Charles Babbage and his Analytical Machine is that of a far seeing acolyte who comprehends the machine's wide ranging future possibilities and joins his fight for government funding and recognition. Ada's mother's relationship with her daughter is mostly uncompromising, bordering on obsessively harsh at times and barely understandable at others. Lady Byron's fear that blood will tell and that her daughter will be as wicked as her father governs the way Ada is raised. At times I felt weighted down and oppr...

The Heiress's Deception  (Sinful Brides #4)      by Christi Caldwell                                 When your  despicable  brother, the Duke of Bedford, uses all the underhanded methods in his repertoire to lay his hands on your dowry, the only alternatives are to acquiesce to his demands and become a victim, or take charge and run. That's just what Lady Eve Pruitt did. She ran! Right into the life of Calum Dabney, the man she'd thought had hanged as a thief because that same dreaded brother had had him thrown into Newgate when she was only a young child and had taunted her with Calum's death. Callum will not do anything to harm his 'family', those he'd grown up with on the streets, but when a new bookkeeper comes looking for a position at the group's gambling establishment,  the  Hell and Sin Club,  things are turned upside down. Quite...

Dashing All the Way: A Christmas Anthology by Celeste Bradley, Eva Devon, Elizabeth Essex, Heather Snow Nary a story flagged! 5 star holiday season romances with a touch of spice and a dash of cheer that are all excellent inclusions centering around Christmas time in one way or another. From house parties to balls, to situations of intrigue where the stakes are high and the games deadly. Whilst the Eva Devon story did not have as much in common as the others, the central theme continues of female character who is an extraordinary woman looking to take unusual steps. A Rake for Christmas by Eva Devon  Beautifully told story of the meeting of a rake ( Anthony Basingstoke)  and a wallflower (Lady Evangeline Pennyworth), a rake afraid of love and a wallflower unseen until he 'saw' her. What Evangeline wants is to be desirable, and to Anthony she is just that. But he knows the destruction of love. As a child he experienced the chaotic passion and discord of his pare...

Same Time, Next Christmas (Mistress Trio #3)     by Victoria Alexander                             A rather startling opening leads to a fascinating life's journey with a young widow in Victorian times. When  Portia, Lady Redwell,  decides to continue on with her Italian Christmas holiday despite her aunt and companion having to leave to return to London, she little guesses that an adventure would open up that would span Christmases to come. She little realizes that she will change forever. Portia is about to experience "What happens when we step out of the boxes we have always lived our lives in. When we dare to take a chance. To select the road untraveled. To accept, even embrace, the new, the unknown." A heady idea! Is Portia up to it? When Portia finds a stranger swimming naked at her villa's private beach she is angry. Her holiday place is not for sharing! Fletcher Jami...

Mansions of Murder, The:  A Medieval mystery (The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan #18)  by  Paul Doherty Once again Doherty plunged me into the colorful firmament of medieval London of 1381. The starkness of an age where danger encroaches from every side is vividly portrayed. Doherty's descriptions of the hanging fields and the dark depths of the London alleyways are worthy of an  Hieronymus Bosch painting. London Hades is a fitting title given the area where the action takes place. This time Athelstan and his friend  Sir John Cranston, Lord High Coroner of London, otherwise known as ‘Sir Jack,’  are enmeshed in the dark doings of the gangs of London. Simon Makepeace, the 'Flesher', leader of ' London’s most vicious and notorious [gang, the] rifflers',  an  abhorrent person as his moniker surmises, and his minions are unstoppable, backed as they are by Lord Arundel. When the bodies of a priest,  Parson Reynaud,  and ...

A Good Day to Marry a Duke (Sin and Sensibility #1)     by Betina Krahn                               An interesting basis to a new series. American heiresses ' who descended on England in the late Victorian era'  engaging in the London season, hoping for a titled husband. The author's note at the end of the book is quite illuminating about the practice of sending dowered daughters 'across the pond' to bring back a blue blood husband. Some 'bemoaned it as 'the tidal wave of “dollar princesses” '. Although it seems many of these men were no prize, rather total disasters. But do read this fascinating footnote. Daisy Bumgarten has a lot to live down. Her New York debut was a total failure. I felt pained along with Daisy when we overheard the catty, disparaging comments of the New York disdaining elites.  To help her family Daisy agrees to a London season. After all she has three yo...

Penric's Mission (Penric and Desdemona #4)   by Lois McMaster Bujold                             Well that sucks! I was so drawn in to Penric and his happenings that before I knew it I was on the last page. The ending was far too abrupt. I need, indeed must get hold of what happens next!! Note: I read the sequel ( Mira's Last Dance)  and am now much happier Anyway in Mission, Penric enters into a secret diplomatic mission for  the Duke of Adri  that ends in unmitigated disaster with Penric imprisoned and the future looking grim. Desdemona as usual has a few pithy words to say! A well constructed world that opens up new vistas, with a fitting sense of humor and occasion. Penric is altogether one of my favorite characters, and here his story just keeps on giving! A NetGalley ARC *****

Deadly Dance: A psychological thriller (DI David Vogel #1)   by  Hilary Bonner                                A psychological thriller that deals with pedophilia, unresolved sexuality acceptance and relational difficulties in three voices. These three voices  lead the story, interacting to form the whole. This modus operandi employed by Bonner lends a fascinating pull slowly drawing the reader further into the unfolding action.  The brutal murder of fourteen year old Madeline has Detective David Vogel methodically parsing every action of those close to her, every nuance is noted as he digs further into Madeline's life and the lives of those within her orbit.  I found this an uncomfortable read due to the subject matter and yet quite brilliant its execution. Bonner has a way with words that captivates you and places you right in the here and now, whether you want to...

The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger (Lady Travelers Society #2)   by  Victoria Alexander                                Widowed Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe finds that all was not as smooth sailing as she thought. It seems she and her husband had partied their way through life, incurring the sort of debts that fit their new extravagant lifestyle. Having paid off most of what was owed, Willie's last hope of some monetary security is to reclaim a Renaissance painting her husband used as collateral for a loan. And that's where the Lady Travelers Society comes in. Willie has to travel to Venice to seal the deal. She will lead a tour of American women through Europe, including Paris and Venice. Unfortunately Dante Augustus Montague is searching for a lost painting to make up a triptych that once belonged to his family's collection. The painting that belongs to Willie...

The Lady and Mr. Jones  (A Spy in the Ton #4) by Alyssa Alexander                                    A story that sparkles 'the whole night through' and beyond. Spiced with two great lead characters, Jones a man of secrets and action, a spy extraordinaire from the harsh humble beginnings of the Rookeries and now in service to the Crown. A spy's spy who hunts traitorous agents. Jones has to in his sights Lord  Wycomb, a coldly efficient master of the art.  Which leads Jones straight to Baroness  Cat Ashdown.  Cat has found herself 'wedged between the trustees, her uncle, the estate, and the husband she would soon [be forced to wed]. [It seemed] whatever happened she couldn't win.'  Cat 'had trained to be Mary Elizabeth Frances Catherine Ashdown, 13th Baroness of Worthington. Fought to prove she could carry on the legacy of the first Mary Elizabeth Fra...

The Scoundrel Who Loved Me   by Lauren Smith, Kristin Gabriel,  Ella Quinn, Laura Landon.       A scintillating meld of stories with handsome, daring heroes and their ladies who may not all be princesses but who have the hearts of strong regal women.  His Wicked Embrace by  Lauren Smith A rake with a conscience and a stolen Persian princess. Rescued from a slave sale in a brothel by Mr. Lawrence Russell, the half-English princess Zehra Darzi takes shelter with Lawrence, a shelter that feels right. A variation on the 'Taken' movie set in Regency London. A daring rescue, a damsel in distress and a dashing hero. The Secret Scoundrel by Kristin Gabriel A sudden meeting in a darkened garden has spinster Diana Harwood wondering if she's bereft of her senses. Accepting a package from an unknown man is unusual--even for her. Well he was taller than her, and that's a start. But really! A nicely timed romance with the adde...

The Chase (Brides of Beadwell #3) by Sara Portman                                           'A wooden spoon for courage'. An uncommon choice. But then Juliana Crawford is not by any stretch of the imagination ordinary.  Juliana is running from a desperate situation. She is running to a possible future.  Stranded at an inn, in a highly unorthodox move, she approaches an elderly gentleman to request a place in his coach. Michael Roseyear (illegitimate son of an earl) is in pain from being confined to a carriage. His leg is hurting and he's bored. He needs distraction and it seems the wan, poorly clothed young woman seeking assistance will provide that. He and his wolfhound Gelert make room for their unusual guest. Of course their journey is eventful, unavoidably delayed and downright dangerous. After all the drama they encounter their relations...

Mr. Campion's Abdication  (An Albert Campion mystery)    by  Mike Ripley                              This was unusually difficult to get into. I really wanted to connect more fully with the story as the whole events around Edward's abdication, Mrs Simpson and there Nazi leanings has always fascinated me. The 'what ifs' are too horrendous to contemplate.  The thing is that this was my first meet up with Albert Campion and so I do not have an understanding of who he is. He worked in mysterious ways--not fully visible to the naked eye, mine that is! Thirty plus years later Campion is assisting with a film/documentary by an Italian company about the Prince and Mrs Simpson during their time at  Heronhoe Hall and of a gift supposedly sent to show the Prince's appreciation to the Hall's owners, a gift now dubbed the Abdication Treasure. Campion's son and daughter-in-law app...

The Silent Duke  ( The 1797 Club #4)   by Jess Michaels   I swear Charlotte is a warrior woman, a lioness in her defence of  Ewan Hoffstead, Duke of Donburrow. Right from when they met, Ewan a terrified ten and Charlotte Undercross, a perceptive seven, Charlotte has defended and encouraged Ethan. Even years later, when he turned his back on her she still loved him and wanted only the best for him. Ewan cannot get past the terrible burden his despicable father lay on him. Taunted as being deformed, defined by his muteness as less, this words have been poisoned darts that have burrowed their way into the deepest corners of his psyche. Not only his father's angst and derision did Ewan have to endure, but the coldness of his mother and the same bullying as his father, inflicted on him by his brothers. His brothers have been brought up to disregard Ewan as the heir. It's only his uncle's pursuit of justice that has Ewan declared the rightful heir and Earl....

The Ghost of Christmas Past ( Molly Murphy #17)   by  Rhys Bowen.   This is the first Molly Murphy mystery I've read. Even so, I was not lost with what was happening, or the relationships between the main characters. I am sure earlier readings would have given me more depth of understanding into the intricacies of the various relationships--between Molly and Bridie and Daniel, Daniel Sid and Gus, Molly and Daniel's mother. Through a series of almost happenstance events,  Molly, Daniel and Bridie end up spending Christmas at Greenbriars, the home of Cedric and Winnie Van Aiken, near Scarborough on the Hudson River.  The loss of a child is devasting, and in Winnie Van Aiken's case, the disappearance of her daughter Charlotte years ago, the not knowing if Lottie is alive or dead, continues to be shattering.  The plot around Charlotte's disappearance is convoluted. The child's footsteps led outside to the edge of a frozen stream and disappeared. S...

Twelfth Night with the Earl (The Sutherland Sisters #3)    by Anna Bradley                               Ethan Fortescue's return to Cleve's Court in Devon is full of surprises. The Earl of Devon has come to finally shut up the family seat--a place of terrible memories. This Christmas he's putting the past behind him. Or is he? The house that should be silent and dark is alight and full of merriment. There in the midst of things, directing the proceedings is his childhood friend Theodosia Sheridan. The cut and thrust of the repartee between these two is so entertaining. Indeed, it seems the wicked Earl has a decidedly wicked sense of humor.  Ethan is burdened with the most appalling sense of guilt centered around his brother's death at Cleve Court. Thea has determined to make Ethan face his ghosts, hoping to bring about his healing. Ethan needs to stop running! It seems tho...

Monet: Itinerant of Light by  Salva Rubio, illustrated by EFA (Ricard Fernandez)                              A fascinating chronicle that brings one face to face with Monet's life, his struggles and his achievements. I found the graphic presentation challenging at the beginning, the background coloring seemed to swamp things but as Monet's life unfolded I came to appreciate those shadings that seemed for me to reflect the stages of his life and along the way incorporates references to the styles of Monet and his companions in the search for a new way of seeing. The illustrating is fantastic. There's a richness that the artist EFA ( Ricard Fernandez) beings to bear.   I'm awed. Sometimes I find the comments in the word balloons a little stilted, but to me that always is a product of this medium. Graphic novels are not easy reading. I find they require more concentration than the writ...

The Chaperone’s Secret  ( Classic Regency Romances #19)     by    Donna Lea Simpson                              I felt like I was reading a version of the Cinderella story with Cinders being Amy Corbett and her charge Rowena, the ugly stepsister. Amy has been snaffled away from her kind employer by Lady Rowena's autocratic father, the Duke, to chaperone his daughter during the coming season, and to ensure that Rowena finally marries. Failure is not an option. He really is a very unlikeable man. Unfortunately, Amy in accepting the employment that is, well 'fait accompli' is at the mercy of the Duke and his daughter.  Lady Rowena is disdainful of others and solely concerned about her impact on men in particular. Her shallowness and meanness is breathtaking. Lord Dante Pierson  sees a vision go by late at night when he's sprawled in the gutter with two helpful 'ladi...

Valiant Dust (Breaker of Empires #1)     by  Richard Baker.                            An interesting reworking of space opera themes. Recontact  by more developed interstellar powers  with isolated frontier worlds from Terra  and how that plays out. In this case the two major powers are the Aquilan Commonwealth and the Dremark Empire. The world that is in question, Gadira II, is populated by those of Islamic leanings, adhering to moderate Quranist understandings of that faith. It seems an agent of the Dremark Empire is setting up Gadira, for planetary unrest and thereby being able to install a puppet government aligned with Dremark's self interest.  (Is it all sounding familiar?) The main character, Lieutenant Sikander Singh North, a gunner officer, is from a similar frontier world, Kashmir. This system has been able to escalate its development under the more m...

Lord Edward's Mysterious Treasure: The Breton Adventure (The Victorian Adventures #4)  by   Lillian Marek.                                Marek's novel takes us to Brittany and a gothic Victorian type mystery with a romantic interest. The scholarly Lord Edward Tremaine,  son of the Marquess and Marchioness of Penworth,  is lured to Brittany's coast and the forbidding Chateau Morvan by his friend Antoine on the pretext of being able to interview Tony's great grandfather, the vicomte de Morvan. Edward is excited at this possibility of direct research  into the  Breton rebellion, and  relationship between the peasants of the area and the aristocracy during the French Revolution. Antoine really want wants Edward to help search for lost treasure from that time. Edward reminds me of a Tom Conti or Oscar Wilde type hero. On the surface he seems like an I nef...