The Truth About Lord Stoneville by Sabrina Jeffries

Lord Stoneville is the eldest of 5 grown siblings, his parents died when he was young, and since then the Sharpe siblings have been looked after by their feisty brewery-managing grandmother. It comes as a shock to all the Sharpes when Gran tells all 5 they have 1 year to be married or she's cutting them all off.
Oliver, Lord Stoneville, does not want to be married and thinks he can end his grandmother's threat by bringing home a most inappropriate woman as his intended. Maria Butterfield, an American, is searching for her missing fiance, and the path leads her and her cousin Freddy to a brothel. Which is where Oliver finds her and saves the pair from being hung as thieves. Not doing it just out of the goodness of his heart, Oliver forces a promise from Maria to act as his fiance in front of his grandmother. She agrees in order to not be sent to jail and to secure Oliver's help in finding her fiance.
Being a romance novel, mishaps occur, misunderstandings take place, seduction happens, and the pair that seem mismatched ends up together. I didn't think Jeffries writes with the same sense of humor as Julia Quinn, but I enjoyed the book. The historical setting is good, the story good, the supporting characters interesting (each of the Sharpe siblings will have his or her own book, and 2 additional have been published), and ending happy. I enjoyed it, a good light read and I look forward to reading the rest.

Evangeline by Gwen Williams

Gwen Williams based her erotic story Evangeline on the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, Snow White & Rose Red. Williams imagines the story of Snow White (Evangeline) and the love she finds.
The book opens on Evangeline messing around with one of the young men from the village, John Woliver, a young man whom she is very fond of and would very much like to marry. John however is under strict instructions from his father NOT to marry Evangeline. He can dally with her, but he cannot marry her. Evangeline knows this and refuses to have sex with John. John finally tells Evangeline it's because of the bear that his father refuses to let them marry. I thought this was a pretty good ploy to explain the Grimm Brothers story, a flashback of John's father telling John that Evangeline, her sister Rose, and their mother sheltered a black bear for a winter and performed sexual acts with the bear. Evangeline is upset by this tale of gossip going around the village and stomps off, leaving John unsatisfied yet again.
Evangeline discovers that John is to marry another girl and so she is a little more bold when she entertains the glances of a stranger, Paul Rumsfeld. Evangeline finds the man desirable; he is well off and lives far from her village and that is enough for Evangeline to agree to marry him (after a proper courting of course).
On the first day she meets Paul Rumsfeld, the village gossip explains that he is on the search for his fourth wife--the previous three young wives dying unexpectedly. Evangeline pays this little mind until her wedding night when she is finally truly alone with her husband, and her fear and uncertainty overcome her. Paul is upset and visits her rarely in her lush set of rooms.
Spending little time with Paul, Evangeline is left in the company of her maid, Mathilda. Mathilda has also been maid to Paul's previous three wives and there's something in her attitude and demeanor that's a little creepy. She lurks in corners, always seems to be right outside Evangeline's door, and watches Evangeline when she sleeps.
Evangeline and Paul finally have a relationship breakthrough and they grow closer and more involved with each other and begin to genuinely love each other. Evangeline is very happy, very pregnant, and dotes on her husband. She begs him not to leave her alone and Paul begins to put her needs first.
Paul reveals the story of his previous three wives while talking to his steward, and we find that all three wives have died while Paul was absent. Each death breaks his heart and so he determined to stay as far from Evangeline as possible (but still needs to produce an heir to inherit his properties), refusing to fall in love with her. Ah, but Evangeline is too much for him to resist and they do fall in love.
The climax comes when Evangeline is in labor with her child and Paul is called away--so much happens at once that if feels the story was a little rushed to end it (plus some odd ways of tying up loose strings with Rose, Black Bear, and the King, who is mentioned maybe four times in the story). I could see who the "bad guy" was in the story pretty much from the beginning, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the building tension in the story.
Despite the ending, it was a cute heartwarming story. The sex was not overly detailed and there was not a great deal of it, so if you're reading for the steamy scenes, this book won't suit you. I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings, so there really was no chance that I was not going to enjoy the book. Evangeline by Gwen Williams is a good lighthearted story with a little bit of darkness (reminded me a bit of Rebecca, actually, but that might have just been creepy Mathilda). Recommended for fluff reading.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

David Levithan has a way with words. I have felt that with every book of his I've read (which is really only 5, including this one, but still, it's the reason I fell in love with his books). He's amazing and brilliant and wonderful.
The Lover's Dictionary is a very brief book (I read it on my lunch hour & one 15 minute break) in which Levithan defines words that tell the story of a relationship. The entries are brief thoughts on a moment or relate an entire episode in their relationship. There's a quiet beauty to the entries, even the angry ones (which is interesting to see the anger pop out between different words, so you don't get the whole story at once), and Levithan brings you into this relationship and the mind of the narrator, and I found it very easy as a reader to identify with many of his entries.
I like how he had part of a conversation in one entry, then further on went back to that conversation, and included just a little more, enough to illustrate the word, teasing the reader to keep reading to find out the whole story. Like with all books that capture just moments of a character's life, The Lover's Dictionary has beautiful moments that build an image in your mind. The great thing about Levithan is that he does it with so few words. One of my favorites:

whet, v.
You kiss me when you get home, and when I kiss you back longer, harder, you say, "Later, dear. Later."

I simply love the image this creates in my mind with so few words. It's difficult to give a full description of the story of this book, but if you're patient, interested in words and imagery, pick up the book. It will not take very long to finish (or to suss out if you like it or not).

Maid to Match by Deanne Gist

When I read the review for Maid to Match by Deanne Gist, what caught my eye is that the book takes place at Biltmore Estate near Asheville, North Carolina. I have visited Biltmore Estate and have been fascinated by the Vanderbilt family for ages so this book seemed a natural fit.
It's 1898 and Tillie is a maid in the vast Biltmore Estate, a high ranking maid, and it has just been discovered that the new Mrs. Vanderbilt's French maid wants to go back to France. This is Tillie's chance to see the world; being a lady's maid opens so many doors for her--travel, nice clothes, books, leisure time--and she and her mother have been preparing Tillie for this happenstance since Tillie was young.
Of course, it's not as easy as just saying she wants it--Tillie is in competition with another high ranking young maid, and Mrs. Vanderbilt has determined to give both young women a chance to prove themselves. When a large party comes to visit the Vanderbilts, Tillie is assigned to a young woman not much older than herself, who gives her a taste of just how much work it is to be a lady's maid and Tillie is run ragged.
Complicating matters further is Mack, the new handyman, who is gruff but kind and to whom Tillie is attracted to. Unfortunately, only single young men and women can work at Biltmore and Tillie knows if she marries Mack, she ruins her chance at becoming a lady's maid. She is torn between her wish to fulfill what her mother wants for her and what Tillie thinks she wants for herself, and the chance to have a family of her own and to be truly happy.
There are obstacles and stubbornness, but this sweet story ends happily for all concerned. I have never read anything by Deanne Gist before, so I wasn't entirely certain what to expect; there tended to be more discussion of God and faith than I am used to in my fiction, but it did not deter from the story. Definitely an enjoyable light read with feel-good ending.

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

I thought I would expand my romance knowledge by trying a different author--Lisa Kleypas has written a series of five books about the Hathaway siblings in 1850's England. I'm a sucker for series and as I enjoyed Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series so much I thought I would try another sibling series.
Amelia Hathaway is the responsible Hathaway sibling. At 26 she feels she is firmly on the shelf and since her parents died years ago, has been raising her siblings, including her older brother Leo. Winnifred, Poppy, and Beatrix are well behaved young women (for the most part); Beatrix is just 15, Poppy 19, and Win is a few years older. Leo has recently inherited a title that certainly helps the Hathaways--Leo had been studying to be an architect but it would have been difficult to maintain all five siblings on such a meager salary. Leo is now Lord Ramsay, and he's run amok--gambling, drinking, and who knows what else. He disappears for days at a time and during one of his disappearances Amelia meets Cam Rohan, a Gypsy who lives and works in London. The Hathaways are not unfamiliar with Gypsies--Merripen, not a servant but not quite a member of the family, has been living with the family since the Hathaways' father saved his life when Merripen was 12. Cam helps Amelia and Merripen track down a very drunk Leo and Cam steals a kiss from Amelia during the course of the evening. Very exciting for Amelia, but she figures she'll never see him again.
But of course, we readers know that's not the case. Amelia sells the tiny house she and her siblings live in and move to Ramsay House in the country. Ramsay House is in tatters and the Hathaways have little money to spend on it. Their well to do neighbors, Lord and Lady Westcliff, have Cam Rohan as a guest and of course he's fascinated by Amelia. Things can't go easily with the Hathaways and Cam comes to the rescue more than once. Amelia is also startled to discover her old flame, Christopher Frost, is in the area. Christopher left her for the daughter of his boss but it turns out they did not get married. Amelia has been determined to remain single and independent, but will one of these men convince her to change her stubborn mind?
Kleypas does not write with the same sense of humor and lightness as Quinn, and her stories are a little darker, a little more dramatic, and the first one had a touch of the supernatural. (Which is not something I normally enjoy, but it was not an overwhelming part of the story, so it was all right.) What I did like about this book is that Kleypas developed all of the Hathaway siblings in the course of the book instead of focusing solely on Amelia. It was nice to get a formed picture of all five siblings instead of just a generalized outline. A little more dramatic than I first envisioned, but it is definitely entertaining and a quick read. I think I might have to pick up the next once, once I finish the current stack of books I have waiting for me.

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

I have finally finished reading Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. The last of the books is about Gregory, seventh child of eight, and the youngest son. He's determining what kind of purpose his life shall have (army? or clergy? he's a terrible shot, so that narrows the options) at his brother Anthony's house party in the country. He would like to fall in love one day, and knowing that all seven of his siblings managed to make love matches, Gregory is a bit of a romantic in hoping he'll have the same opportunity. The woman just hasn't come about yet.
And then--most dramatically--he sees her. The back of her neck to be precise. Miss Hermione Watson, as he is introduced to her, is all that is lovely and beautiful and he falls in love immediately. It matters not that her heart is taken by another young man, it matters not that her friend Lady Lucinda Abernathy is a bit of a pest (even though she is trying to help him win Hermione), it matters not that they have nothing in common.
Nothing matters until Miss Watson is caught with a young man in a most compromising way. So they must marry (not the young man she originally thought had taken her heart) ending Gregory's brief lapse into love.
Surprisingly, he's not as affected as one would think. His no longer addled brain realizes how very little he had in common with Miss Watson and how unhappy they should make each other. Her friend Lucy on the other hand is different, and as with many romances, Gregory and Lucy fall in love.
And, as with many romances, it is not that easy. Lucy becomes officially engaged to a young man because it is the wish of her family, and no matter what Lucy & Gregory may feel for each other, they cannot be together. Especially once Lucy finds out there's a little blackmail involved.
That summation of the novel makes it sound so much more dramatic than it really is--as with all of Quinn's Bridgerton series, there's humor and wit and it's an overall entertaining read. I only wish there had been a bit more of the other Bridgertons, as a sappy way to say goodbye. Good read and though she's excellent about not giving much away about the stories of the other siblings, it's best to read the series in order.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

In the interest of full disclosure, I admit I was wary about reading this book. It's about vampires and werewolves. Two things that are definitely not my scene. I enjoy fantasy, but more of the high fantasy than the paranormal/supernatural fantasy. But a very good friend recommended this book to me and it is the first book in the Parasol Protectorate series by Carriger, and I'm a sucker for series. So I read it.
I loved it.
It's another 19th century London setting, and Alexia Tarabotti is on the shelf (she's not married and is around age 30). She has two half sisters who are twittering nitwits, but she is very nice to them. Her mother (who remarried) is concerned with propriety and is still very desperately looking for a husband for Alexia. Alexia is not overly concerned. In fact, she would rather stay single.
There is something special about Alexia, something inherited from her deceased Italian father. Alexia is a preternatural: she is soulless, and thus able to turn vampires and werewolves (prevalent and accepted in society, so long as they follow the rules) mortal with her touch. Her family is not aware of this power; the government agency that handles the supernatural beings of England is aware of her, but her state is kept quiet and low-key.
Lord Maccon knows, though. He is the Alpha of the London werewolf pack. Alexia always seems to be getting in his way, especially when it comes to any investigations regarding supernaturals. When the reader meets Lord Maccon, it's because Alexia has accidentally killed a vampire. (He was very rude and didn't seem to know the proper etiquette when in public, like not lunging at and trying to feast on a person.) Alexia would love to work for the government, but of course, Lord Maccon does not think it appropriate, Alexia being a woman and all.
Carriger does a great job of establishing the normalcy of vampires and werewolves being accepted in London society (interestingly, they are not in America), down to the fact that places that cater to werewolves have cloakrooms with spare clothes, because of course, when men are werewolves, they are not wearing clothes. Scandalous! She does a brilliant job of describing the transformation into werewolf as well.
The main meat of the story is the mystery: rove vampires and werewolves (those not belonging to hives or packs) are missing all over England. It turns out they've been kidnapped by a mad scientist--seriously, a mad scientist--whose intention it is to rid the world of vampires & werewolves altogether. Alexia lands right in the middle of it and is being used for nefarious reasons as well.
The humor is great in this story; the exchanges between characters witty (even though Alexia hates her friend Ivy's taste in hats); the pacing good and the action sequences pretty intense. The romance isn't bad either. I eagerly await my library to get Changeless, the second book, so I can catch up with Alexia.

It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn

One of my co-workers told me about the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn. The series is about the love lives of 8 siblings in 19th century London, all very popular and each with his or her little quirks. It's a clever, witty series with just enough romance thrown in without it being overwhelming.
It's in His Kiss is the 7th book in the series, focusing on Hyacinth Bridgerton, the youngest in the family. Hyacinth is 22 and in her 4th season. She has been proposed to 3 times her first season, twice her second season, and once the past season. So far, there are no takers for this season. Hyacinth is outspoken, opinionated, and loves a good battle of wits. She is not the type of young woman to allow a man to tell her what to do or to be coy and demure. Perhaps this has something to do with her husband-less state?
Lady Danbury (who makes an appearance in all of the Bridgerton novels, an opinionated old woman who wields a mean cane) has a grandson, Gareth. Gareth and his father do not get along at all and due to sad circumstances, Gareth becomes his father's heir. Until his father kicks it, however, Gareth is practically penniless. Lady Danbury dotes upon him though (and Gareth is very good to his grandmother) and would like to encourage her young friend Hyacinth to entertain the idea of perhaps becoming affectionate with Gareth.
Being a romance, these two main characters do get involved, but not entirely in the way one would think: it begins with an diary in Italian and the promise of hidden jewels. And a very poorly written romance novel.
Quinn's Bridgerton series are fantastically fast reads; the characters are engaging, the details good, and the plot entertaining with a dash of seriousness and a whole lot of humor.