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 Rebel Heir (Spare Heirs #2)   by Elizabeth Michels Elizabeth Michels talks about the creation of  Lady Evangeline Green in her after notes. I find it quite wonderful that a character speaks to an author in the creative process in the way Michels describes: 'Evie was only supposed to be the beautiful and overly perfect sister in the background of (desperately seeking Suzanna), but there was something about her strained efforts at perfection that spoke to me. I knew then that I had to write her story'. I realized that I was glad to have read Evangeline's story The character of Evie is startling. The secret behind her perfection is both sad and heartfelt. The depths of her mother's ambition thoroughly obnoxious. A lesser daughter would have crumbled. Evie stands on the brink of allowing that to happen. Michels demonstrates the entrapped Evie to perfection, her feeling of helplessness, her feelings of blame, and her efforts to transcend t...

The Infamous Heir  (Spare Heirs #1) by  Elizabeth Michels Lady Roselyn Grey is conflicted. We discover more about this as we go along. She is conflicted by who she really is and the life she feels she should plan for. Indeed the ease of being engaged prior to a London season meets all her criteria. She is unsure because she is the sister of the reputed 'mad' Duke of Thornwood. An engagement prior to her season would be so much easier. All that is thrown into chaos when her fiancé and Trevor Moore, Lord Ayton, and heir to Ormesby Place, is killed in an accident. When Trevor hands Roselyn his list of requirements for the marriage, any sane woman would have run for the hills. Roselyn doesn't seem to quite understand what she is getting into, apart from marrying the heir to the lands adjoining her family's. Ethan Moore has been earning a living as a prize fighter. He is the black sheep of the family and the childhood playmate of the now very ladylike, Rosely...

How to Lose a Lord in 10 Days or Less (Tricks of the Ton) by Elizabeth Michels I well remember the scene in Must Love Dukes where Devon the mad Duke of Thornwood blackmails his now wife Lily, into slipping some herbs to Lord Amberstall's prize horse just before a race, causing havoc. Andrew's horse loses the race, Andrew loses face and reputation before the ton and repairs to Scotland, all his dreams of owning the finest stud in the land broken. Now that little episode has come home to roost. Andrew Clifton, Lord Amberstall, 'famous horse breeder and gentleman' is on his way home after a twelve month absence amongst the sheep in Scotland.  He is returning in answer to a plea from his mother. All is not well.  There are confusing reports of mishaps, treachery and missing horses at home. Unfortunately, en route he is tracked by thieves or worse, takes a fall and both he and his horse end up recuperating at the home of Katie Moore, daughter of the Earl of Ormsbey, wh...

Desperately Seeking Suzanna (Tricks of the Ton #2) by Elizabeth Michels Sue Green is a complicated young woman. Artistic and intelligent, she is ignored because of her sisters' beauty, condemned by her harpy of a mother as unattractive and not worth worrying about. No wonder her rebellious streak rises from time to time. Persuaded by her sisters to crash a masquerade ball, Sue becomes Suzanna for one reckless night of laughter and hanky panky in the library with a reknown rake, Lord Holden Ellis. Holden has his own set of secrets. That one night with Sue has him hankering to track down the mysterious cousin of the Fairly sisters. And here's where it goes awry. Just as the prince never saw Cinderella amongst the cinders, so does Holden never truly see Sue amongst her sisters. As awareness comes, other matters vie for his attention. I'm afraid Holden is quite dense and insulting to Sue in more ways than one. He does indeed break her heart.   A regency romp with a di...

Must Love Dukes (Tricks of the Ton)  by Elizabeth Michels   I must admit that I was intrigued by the slightly surreal opening of this novel. Devon, the Mad Duke of Thornwood, being stalked through the streets of London by a determined young woman into areas no respectable woman should wander! A desperate act indeed. So we are thrown into a situation that begs for further questions and  prompt enlightenment.  Which of course the rest of the story sets out to do. What is involved is a pocket watch and a young woman's purposefulness.   Lillian Whitby as it unfolds was that woman. At home she is the one that holds her family estate together whilst her brothers sell off all that's worthwhile with nary a thought for her. Two of her brothers, the Bad brothers, at the Baddest Brother's urging, decide that the only thing left of value to sell to the highest bidder is Lily. Certainly BB (Baddest Brother) Solomon makes the suggestion to bad brother, Joshia.  ...