eyes.2c Reviews

Ripples in Stone  (Ripples in Stone #1) by Claire Harper    ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Being walled up in a convent, a silent order at that, by your family for something your sister did is so unjust that I was shocked. Not only that the Abbess de Tourmont  was a bully, self interested and a harsh disciplinarian. Lady Geneviève was fourteen when she entered into the Abbey as a novice.  It is a time of unrest in Paris and their majesties have retired from the troublesome area waiting for calm. Their court of course travels with them. Viva la Revolution! (sort of)  As background, her sister Félicité had been acting as the King’s mistress, however the King bedded their sister Celeste to prove he wasn’t impotent. Unfortunately the Pope is furious because bedding sisters is incest. Someone had to pay. That someone was the horse mad, innocent  Geneviève. What’s really happening is that the aristocracy is caught in the snare of the French Revolution, fighting for their positions...

Tall, Dark and December  (Rake Review #12) by Tracy Sumner       ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What a delight! Illegitimate half brother to the Duke of Mercer, Weston Whitaker is a mathematical genius and leader in the use of steam power. Not only that he’s as handsome as sin. He’s come from Philadelphia looking for investors in his scheme for minting coins using steam power. He already had an investor when the offer was withdrawn after he was referred to in the Rakes Review. His acceptance of a  Lady’s invitation to a dalliance had been noted. Wes hadn’t been concerned as the lady wanted nothing more than a good time. However, he’d broken one of the unacknowledged rules of society. Now he has to be polished and made presentable to the ton. Who better to do it than Lady Penelope Anstruther-Colbrook who’s making ends meet, barely maintaining her position in society by helping young women to know how to conduct themselves.  Penny however has ‘secrets’! What works for a woman sho...

Love & Misdirection (Quirky Romantic Comedy #3) by Mari Jane Law      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A woman who will never become pregnant is caring for a baby she wants to adopt but she’s single, not culturally aligned, and runs a care home. A single father, a health inspector,  whose  wife has died is uptight and nearly manages to destroy the children’s home by not asking questions before reporting them. His son enjoys the company of the children in the home, communicating with a young boy who doesn’t speak. So much to admire in the story. Chances, coincidences, two different points of view, makes this tale interesting. It has the same quirkiness as Love in the Cupboard, although that is expressed in different ways. A Fuchsia Publication via the author.

A Worthington Wedding  (Here Comes the Groom #1) by Ella Quinn       ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️     Charlie, the Earl of Stanwood can’t stand careless lords who loose their houses gambling without a care for their dependants. When he’s having a drink in White’s he overhears such a bet. Now Charlie doesn’t gamble but he knows how to. He takes Lord Ognon  to the cleaners, claims his prize, and finds his newly acquired house is in his estate’s neighbourhood. Only when he confronts the woman of the house he finds that the estate was not Ognon’s to bet with, it belongs to Miss Oriana Ognon. Oriana is sick of Ognon sending his gambling debtors to her to be rebuffed. Charlie however tells her he was going to give the house to her no strings attached. Now he doesn’t have to. Charlie is much struck by Oriana and plans to get to know her better. Oriana’s having nothing of him. How this situation is turned around is pleasantly fun although I did lose patience with both of them Or...

Golden Lord  (Dangerous Gifts #2) by Mary Jo Putney        ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tamsyn Tremayne and her adopted brother Cade have been sent by the Home Office to Paris to escort the British Ambassador and his wife home. War with Bonaparte is once more looming on the horizon and no one trusts Bonaparte’s actions They reach Calais but are delayed by the French. Throughout the journey they have felt the icy cold presence of someone they dobb the Scorpion tracking them. As they are boarding their ship the French declare all men between eighteen and sixty would be arrested and interned as Prisoners of War. Cade and Tam manage to help others to board but then Cade is grabbed, manhandled into a carriage, then slammed mentally into unconsciousness. Tam is distraught and follows. What happens then is highly dangerous, and unexpected. Cade has been manfully blocking his feelings for Tamsyn. After all she is the sister of his heart. Anymore is unthinkable. When the barriers are down ...

Feuds  (Valdemar Anthologies #18) by Mercedes Lackey, editor            ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The central organizing theme of Feuds in Valdemar makes for both equally interesting and lively tales. Whether it’s kyrees like  Nwah and Maakdal,  or a herald going back to the dangerous place he’d been raised, there’s something for everyone. I loved Lackey’s story featuring Herald-Mage Vanyel and his aunt Herald Savil on a clandestine mission for the king. Another excellent anthology centered around the intriguing world of Valdemar A DAW ARC via NetGalley.                                             Many thanks to the author and publisher.

The Duchess Takes it All  by Michelle McLean         ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tamsin Palmer, the widowed Duchess of Clevesly never belonged. Not because she didn’t know how to behave, but because she was a rich merchant's get and the ton never let her forget it. So Tamsin now lives in London, not in the country as her husband had kept her, has a loyal group of friends, was shunned by society, and tried to have the ton reflect on itself by publishing anonymous caricatures of ton behavior. Into this situation stepped her  son’s  guardian from a small German satellite state, August Christian, Count of Rauchberg, Prince Heinrich,  who was determined to assist the helpless widow. What  August didn’t bank on was falling in love. Then again neither did Tamsin. Their story has some wonderful twists and quite a few laughs--despite being not quite enemies and a long way to becoming lovers!  Most enjoyable! An Entangled ARC via NetGalley.       ...

Not for the Faint of Heart  by Lex Croucher        ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Did you ever wonder what really happened to Robin Hood and his Merry Men, the after story?  Wonder no more Lex Croucher has given us a rollicking good tale of Robin’s granddaughter Mariel.  Told through the eyes of apprentice healer Cleminson who was kidnapped by  Captain  Mariel on orders from Commander Jack. Well really Mariel was supposed to take the healer Rosie. Rosie’s old so Clem volunteered. Apparently Jack doesn’t like the healer’s policy of treating all. Treating the Sheriff’s men is a bridge to far. Marial tries to please her father Jack Hartley, the Commander of the Merry Men. He’s wanting the merry men to be organized, an army. As old Rosie says they  really don't care about the people. Mariel is drawn between wanting to please her father and do the right thing. When Commander Jack is taken by the Sheriff things become complicated.  This was a fantastic tale ...

Moonlight and the Duke  (Silver Dukes #2) by Meara Platt            ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lovely friends to lovers tale with a Duke ( Connor Fieldstone, sixth Duke of Lynton, aka a ‘Silver Duke’)  in his prime, and his beautiful friend Lady Eden Darrow, who he’s known since he rescued her from a pond when he was fifteen and she just two. Eden, an heiress is now approaching spinsterhood. She’s been put off marriage by the truly stupendously ugly example of her parents. Now she follows her country pursuits, supports her various charities, and roams the countryside sketching and observing. The Duke’s lively children stole my heart, and the story. What treasurers! Connor’s mother wants him to remarry and so plans a house party, complete with silly young peahens as Connor refers to them and some eligible bachelors. Eden was going to entertain his wild children during the day. Then her parents invaded her peace and quiet and Eden flees to the Duke’s house. It gradual...

The Soho Murder : The Compelling Wartime Murder Mystery (Blitz Detective #9) by Mike Hollow        ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fascinating foray into murder, the antiquarian book trade  and counterfeiting, all set in Soho during the war years.   Detective Inspector John Jago  and  Detective Constable Peter Cradock  are London detectives looking into bookseller and runner Samuel Bellamy who’s been shot dead. Bellamy’s death seems open and shut until it isn’t. The life and world of a runner is quite fascinating. Along the way we meet some doubtful, some  colorful characters who inhabit this part of London, and the talented Jazz singer, Ethel Rae. The plot centers around the everyday workings of D. I. Jago’s methods  of investigation , ably supported by his D.C. Cradok, and Jago’s philosophy on life and the war, with occasional glimpses of the woman in his life American journalist, Dorothy. A rather dry tone that’s entirely suitable for a London Inspect...

The Muse of Maiden Lane  (Belles of London #4) by Mimi Matthews          ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Artist Edward (Teddy) Hayes  is astounded, awed when he first sees Stella Hobhouse. They’re at an exhibition at the British Museum. He can’t take his eyes off her. Her hair is unusual—pure silver! He’s mesmerised,  struck by Stella’s beauty. He must paint her!  Stella must be his muse!  Stella is entranced by the gentleman in the wheel chair who speaks his mind, who sees her, who discusses art with her free from condescension. Stella’s a gentlewoman with an impatient vicar for a brother. He wants to marry her off, even if the potential suitors are years older than Stella. After all her hair is gray! A match! Grr! Her brother’s also casting his eyes over someone who wouldn’t and doesn’t suffer Stella gladly. What can Stella do? A member of the Furies, four women who galloped their horses in the early morning on Rotten Row, who became known as the Four Hor...

Duchess Material  by Emily Sullivan        ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Phoebe Atkinson is in trouble. Arrested and taken to Bow Street, in desperation, she sends a note to the one person she hasn’t communicated with for years. An old friend who she’d had feelings for. Out  of the blue, he’d became not plain Will, but the heir to a dukedom, the Viscount Middlefield. Will Margrave, the Duke of Ellis, of course went to the aid of his friend Alex’s impetuous sister. He wasn’t prepared for the leap of his heart when he saw her. Will had a safe course planned out. Marriage to the reigning debutante Lady Gwendolyn Fairbanks, daughter to his mentor Lord Fairbanks who was guiding him through the House of Lords. Now here was Phoebe, a schoolteacher in a school for underprivileged girls. Phoebe has been looking for a missing student when she was arrested. Will ends up helping her in her search and from there it’s a short step to becoming more and more involved. He has a few shocks on th...