eyes.2c Reviews

The Wicked Heir  (Spare Heirs #3)    by Elizabeth Michels                                            'You're smile lacks meaning.' And just like that Fallon St. James' life takes a different course. I really liked St. James but struggled with Lady Isabelle Fairlyn. In someways she seemed too childlike for St. James. At moments I found it hard to relate to her. She seems so young with a head (and diary) full of a young woman's dreams. We're told her diary is full of swooping letters with 'silhouettes of flowers and swirls of ink fashioned into vines.' However there are moments when Isabelle is no shrinking violet. (And that's when I like her). She is searching for her true love. At about the age of sixteen she fixated on another Spare, Mr. Kelton Brice, as that person. Isabelle  is now three years older. To her Brice...

The Duke Meets His Match (Infamous Somertons #3) by  Tina Gabrielle                                 Chloe Somerton knew what poor was. Being poor as a young child had led her into illegal activities. Now the past was behind her. Chloe's sisters had married well and this was her time. Chloe had set her sights on the pleasing, wealthy, young earl, Lord Henry Sefton. (As Chloe was young as well this hardly seemed difficult to me. On the other hand Chloe's 'hand to mouth' existence as a child has made her older in experience of the not so charming side of life.) Chloe had not reckoned with Henry's mentor--Michael Keswick, the Duke of Cameron. Michael is an emotionally battle scarred veteran of Waterloo. His scars, worn on the inside, are not obvious but just as deadly and damaging. Michael has a duty to his dead friend's son and thwarting Chloe becomes a central game. 'Chloe Somerton [might...

Denying the Duke (Lords & Ladies in Love #3)   by Callie Hutton                                 Patience suffered! Suffered a lost love, suffered an unenviable betrothal to a man who preferred courtesans, suffered a brutish father and then had to suffer marriage to a man who didn't give her choices. As she considers her situation she realizes her whole life has been one of no choice! What Patience wants is to be courted! Is that too much to ask? Alex, bemused and frankly out of touch, as he is fresh from six years as a soldier, firstly at Waterloo and later working with the war office. His latest assignment was to bring home a traitor--Lord Loverly. It was on the voyage home that Alex discovered his brother had died in highly salacious circumstance. Alex was now the Duke-a Duke with many problems. How to confront his situation and his brother's wife, Alex's youthful love. Added t...

Addicted to the Duke (Imperfect Lords #1) by  Bronwen Evans                              A terrible burden sears the soul of  Alexander Sylvester Bracken, Duke of Bedford. D riven by guilt and the fear of opium addiction, Alex will sail into danger taking his past and future with him. Death seems sweet but maybe not as sweet as Lady Hestia Cary.   Six years ago Alex rescued Hestia from his deadliest enemy, the Turkish pirate Murad. Hestia fell irrevocably in love with Alex. Alex needed to steer clear of Hestia. He is a danger to both her and himself.  Now Hestia's father is seemingly dead. Hestia is in danger from her father's heir and her heart is in danger from Alex. For her safety Hestia will accompany him on the voyage. The journey to the Mediterranean will test Alex's resolve with every league sailed.  A NetGalley ARC ****

Scandalous Ever After  (Romance of the Turf #2) by Theresa Romain Certainly this Romance of the Turf story took a different direction. Old yearnings, death and mysteries play out between Wales and Ireland. Lady Kate Whelan  was widowed when her husband was killed in a steeplechase race. She's the daughter of a Welsh racing baronet, Sir William Chandler. Kate had been married to an Irish Lord,  Conall Ritchie Durham, the late fifth Earl of Whelan. Con's  best friend was a Welshman, the laconic, humorous Evan Rhys, a noted antiquities expert. I loved Romain's turn of phrase, such as when she described how Evan and Con first met and the pranks they got up to.   As Con states, it was from a ' trellis of such events ... did their friendship cling and grow.' Evan has been in love with Kate since he first met her. They had been the best of friends. Evan however has not seen Kate since Conall died, two years ago. He blames himself for Con's death....

Lord of Lies  (Fallen Ladies #3) by  Amy Sandas                                  I loved this Fallen Ladies episode. There was something about the energy between the enigmatic and fascinating Dell Turner and Portia Chadwick that really exploded off the page. Clever and intelligent Portia is a restless soul looking for more than the acquiescent debutant's role. It seems Dell is the answer. Their meeting is under difficult circumstance. Lily, Portia's sister has just been kidnapped and Portia's somewhat doddering great aunt Angelique takes her to someone who might help, the mysterious Nightshade! The story is littered with other interesting characters. Hale, a boxer and his search for his daughter Claire, Thomas the young contact agent for Nightshade caught my eyes, as did a young boy met in the latter part of the story. From the ballrooms of the ton to the brothels in the da...

The Highland Commander (Lord of the Highlands #2)   by Amy Jarecki The tale of two innocents really with a whole lot of feelings and not really knowing what to do with them. Well that changes somewhat (thanks to the 'French' pamphlet) Captain! Lady Magdalen Keith,  the illegitimate daughter of a consummate Jacobite, the  Earl Marischal of Scotland,  has raced to London to try to free her father from the Tower. Although a representative of  Aberdeenshire in the new British Parliament, the Earl  was arrested after Prince James' abortive attempt to land his armada at the  Firth of Forth. Navy lieutenant Lord Aiden Murray  is commander of a Scottish  vessel that has been enfolded into the English navy. He's a virgin and wants to put that part of his life to rest. Aiden and Maddie originally meet at a masquerade at her father's castle in Stonehaven. Between trying ro rescue Maddie's father, hiding their Jacobite leanings, an...

The Duke of Defiance (The Untouchables #5)   by Darcy Burke                              Quite a beautiful story about a man who doesn't fit into the role thrust upon him and a woman betrayed by choices thrust upon her. Bran Crowther, Earl of Knighton can't stand to be back in England. Indeed he figuratively and literally is chafed by the burden. He fled the constrictions and oppressiveness of England and his family at a young age. He found himself in Barbados. Now duty has called him back.  Dubbed a defiant child by his mother, Bran is touted as the Defiant Duke. Joanna Shaw now had freedom from a doomed marriage but what will she do? There is a definite attraction between Jo and Bran. Bran needs an heir and Jo's eight year marriage resulted in no children.  These two hurt souls come together healing each other, although with some mishaps on the way. A NetGalley ARC ****...

Duke with Benefits (Studies in Scandal #2)   by  Manda Collins A bit of a slow start leads into an interesting plot where a somewhat OCD heroine who has difficulty lifting her gaze from mathematical pursuits into the real world. Lady Daphne Forsyth has led a difficult life hampered by a father who used her mathematical genius to line his own pockets. Now, having been left a share of her benefactress' estate and relishing the puzzle set for her to solve Daphne, finds herself with acquaintances, other young women equally as gifted in differing areas of expertise. For a lonely focused young women this is 'passing strange.' The challenge concerns the legendary Cameron Cipher that supposedly relates to a fortune in a hidden Jacobite treasure trove. What Daphne wants most though is to develop different skills. An entanglement with her benefactress' nephew the Duke of Maitland (not though marital) she feels will be a useful experiment. Well that just thr...

Three Weeks with a Princess (The Improper Princesses)   by  Vanessa Kelly                                   Lia Kincaid has been raised by her grandmother, the mistress of the Marquess of Lendale, on the Lendale estates. Lia Kincaid is the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of York. The new marquess, Lia's childhood friend, Jack Easton is concerned for Lia's welfare. Lia feels she should continue in the women of the family's footsteps and become a courtesan. She need a protector and perhaps Jack would be a good first choice to practice with. Jack is shocked and tempted but this is his childhood friend. Added to that, it's imperative for Jack to marry wealth. Lia flees to London and her mother, a famous actress, with the thought of a life treading the boards. Things of course becomes so much more entangled! I found Jack somewhat insipid character and Lia is almost too good t...