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3.5 stars
Claire is an English woman who sees issues in a very stubborn black or white. She grew up in a household that was plagued by an alcoholic father who mentally and physically abused her, hence her passionate temperance views. She is courageous, fervent, and yes, a bit self-righteous in her belief that alcohol should be completely banned. Cameron is a Scot whiskey distiller whose older twin died, effectively making him Laird and responsible for supporting their clan and town. Whiskey is his clan's lifeblood and he sees no reason to blame alcohol for the weakness of a few. When these two meet, ideals, thoughts, and emotions clash.
Your heart is going to ache for Claire. Every time she remembers a hurtful slur or beating from her father, you'll forgive her for her single-mindedness. She is blinded by the past and clings to the thought that if she could just get alcohol banned, no little girl or woman would have to suffer the way she did. Cameron, ooh Cameron, you're going to love him. From the moment he teases Claire for accusing him of being a white slaver to him teaching her how to drink whiskey; you're going to be cheering for him to succeed in opening Claire's heart and mind. Their interactions are deep and real, although, I did think there should have been more of them. Even though her passion is in direct disaccord with his livelihood, he respects, admires it, and is deeply attracted. They are a pleasing couple to read about.
The little problems I did have, involved how the story felt rushed. I mentioned earlier how Claire and Cameron needed more scenes together. Without this extra time, it left their relationship progression feeling hasty. I constantly complain how this needed to be edited or that, but here, I felt the exact opposite, more should have been added or the story shouldn't have been edited so heavily. There are other story arcs that involve Claire's friend and possible romance with Cameron's friend, a jealous woman from Cameron's past, and sabotage involving the distillery afoot. These plot points actually did add to the story, they needed just a little extra meat to them to feel more whole. If you're going to edit them to the point that they feel like dangling strings with no tied end, then they should be eliminated completely. The writing here was good enough to support more but I suppose wishing for more story isn't completely a bad thing.
All in all, this was a fresh, new, and intriguing historical romance. If you favor Scottish stories at all the lush landscape descriptions and kilt wearing Laird will make this book for you. Claire will break your heart, while Cameron will steal it. You definitely won't want to miss how this whisky distiller opens the heart and mind of his teetotaler. I will be on the lookout for future books in this series.
Received a copy via Netgalley for an honest review.
Our heroine, Emma, was born on the wrong side of the blanket. The author never really explains what happened to her father, but she was raised solely by her mother who passed away just a short time before the story begins. Emma and her mother lived under the good graces of her uncle, who treated them both poorly. He constantly berated Emma for being dowdy and plain, telling her she'd never snag a husband, and essentially using her as a servant to his own daughter. While Emma's mother still lived, she acted as something of a buffer between Emma and her uncle, but after her death, Emma overhears the uncle saying he's going to sell her to a man. At this point, Emma runs away. She responds to an ad for a teaching position at a girl's school far away in the country. The only problem is, they're looking for a widow to fill the job. After forging a reference and posing as a young widow, Emma gets hired. Then she finds out exactly why they wanted a widow: they need someone to teach “bedroom etiquette” or what amounts to sex ed. Of course, she knows nothing about the topic, but is desperate to keep the job. When the school library turns up no books that are helpful, she decides to risk a visit to the school's next-door neighbor, whom she's been warned is a rakish artist. Emma only intends to borrow a book, but soon finds herself making a deal with the “devil” to be the model for his latest painting in exchange for unlimited information about intimacies between a man and a woman.
Emma is a sweet, bookish young lady with a bit of an intellectual streak when it comes to literature, the other class she's teaching at the school. She has a particular interest in poetry, and discovers her neighbor apparently does too when they share a carriage ride at the beginning of the story. Even in an inebriated state he seems able to complete lines of poetry she begins, creating an instant connection between them. I could relate very well to Emma being made fun of and looked down on most of her life. Given those circumstances, it makes perfect sense that she doesn't believe Nicholas at first when he tells her she's beautiful nor does she believe that someone like him could be interested in a nobody like her. I enjoyed watching her grow to become more comfortable in her own skin as well as to accept her own beauty and her being deserving of the love of a good man. She's a great teacher, who immediately becomes a wonderful asset to the school and a friend to all the girls. The only thing that would have made Emma better is if she'd come to realize Nicholas's love for her sooner. With her perceptions colored by the lens of her uncle's cruelty, she has a tendency to often misconstrue things that Nicholas says or does and this continues right up until the very last pages of the book, which became somewhat tedious and frustrating.
Nicholas has endured his own share of ridicule. His father never believed in his ability as an artist and frequently derided Nicholas for his continued pursuit of art. As a result, he's taken up residence in a country manor house practically in the middle of nowhere, far from his family. Aside from traveling around to the local taverns and occasionally bringing one of the serving wenches home to model for him, he's pretty much a loner, who's completely immersed in his work. I think what frustrated me a bit about Nicholas's character is that there aren't very many scenes from his POV (at least not until toward the end) and those that are present generally don't last for more than a couple pages. This made it somewhat difficult to get inside his head and understand what he's thinking. The author hints at a lot of things about him, such as family conflict, a possible connection with one of the girls at the school, sensitivities about both his crippled leg and his art, and what exactly happened to cripple his leg, but she takes quite a while to actually reveal much about him. Even when she does, some of the questions I had were merely answered and then over with in the blink of an eye. Some examples of this were nothing more than a very brief mention of what happened to Nicholas's leg and his father and brother instantaneously coming around to support his artistic endeavors after viewing just one painting (though granted it was a masterpiece). I just think Nicholas would have been a fuller richer character if more of these things had been explored in more detail. As is though, I did like him, most especially for how he's able to put Emma at ease and help her come to believe in her own beauty and worth. I also loved how he's so much more than the rake he's perceived to be, and in reality can be a true gentleman and a trustworthy secret-keeper.
Where I thought the book could have really been improved is in certain aspects of the writing and plotting. From the moment I read the cover blurb, I was intrigued and thought the premise would lend itself well to being a rather steamy book, but unfortunately it didn't quite get there. Yes, there are certain parts that are rather sensual, but despite Emma modeling for Nicholas wearing (eventually) next to nothing, I didn't feel a great deal of sexual tension until quite a ways into the story. Part of the reason for this is probably that Emma is very prudish and even a little fearful in the beginning, so there's not much of a turn-on factor there. Once she begins to emotionally reveal herself to Nicholas, the sense of connection does improve dramatically, but just as things are getting good, the author takes a step back from their burgeoning relationship, leaving them dangling in the wind again. Then they keep doing this same dance throughout the rest of the story. I've never been a big fan of miscommunication or misunderstandings being used as the primary conflict in a book and here I felt like they were somewhat overused and at times felt rather forced. It seems like every couple of chapters one of them, usually Emma, is misconstruing something, which became rather tiresome. As to the sexual tension, my personal favorite scene is when Nicholas gets Emma to undress in front of him, telling her every little thing to do. That scene was exceptionally well-done. On the downside, after all this build-up of Emma and Nicholas frequently discussing sex and her modeling nearly nude, I was expecting some great love scenes that sadly never materialized. There's only one, which wasn't anything all that special and which was over in a matter of a few paragraphs.
There were a couple of other little things that also bugged me. Firstly there are a number of incorrect words used. In most cases they're the type that sound and/or look similar but simply aren't the right word for the situation. Eg. soothed instead of smoothed, shuddered instead of shuttered, crumbled instead of crumpled, etc. I realize typos are to be expected in any book, but there are enough of these mistakes to call attention to themselves and to make me pause in my reading to figure them out. Also I found a factual error. Late in the story a character is kidnapped using the old cloth saturated with a drug over the nose trick, making them pass out. The problem is the drug used is stated at least three times to be laudanum. I immediately questioned the veracity of that. Upon looking it up, I discovered, as suspected, that there is no indication for the use of laudanum in that way and that it would only render a person unconscious if taken internally in a liquid or pill form. What the author should have and probably meant to say is chloroform, which would also match her description of the odor quite well.
I freely admit that I'm not entirely certain of the historical accuracy of the premise of the story either. It seems somewhat unlikely that a proper girl's school would offer what amounts to sex education, but I was willing to go with it. Especially after it's revealed how that class came to be taught, it made a good deal of sense, so in the end, I felt like my trust wasn't misplaced. It certainly made for an entertaining premise even though the sexual tension of the situation wasn't fully realized the way I was hoping. Generally speaking, the characters were likable, and flaws aside, the story was reasonably well put together. I was somewhat confused by where the author was going with Nicholas's brother, William. At times, he comes off in a less than favorable light, but I guess he must be a pretty decent guy, because he becomes the hero of The Seduction of a Duke, the next book in the Chambers Trilogy. Although we barely get a glimpse of her, their sister, Arianne, the heroine of the third book, is seen as well. Overall, The Education of Mrs. Brimley may not have hit the heights of perfection for me, but it was still a pretty good read, good enough to make me continue with the series at some point.
Ten all-new stories that celebrate our animal friends, by bestselling and award-winning authors.
From Seeing Eye dogs to the cat who cuddles in your lap, animals are there for us in more ways than we can count. Helping us get through the day with a wag of the tail and a tilt of the head, they let us know that someone is on our side-no matter what. They also have an amazing ability to break down barriers between people; bringing families and loved ones closer, and giving strangers an excuse to strike up a conversation. In "Tails of Love," each writer draws from her own unique perspective on our loyal friends--exploring the many mysterious ways they bring love into our lives.
Featuring stories from "New York Times "bestselling authors Lori Foster and Stella Cameron, and Ann Christopher, Kate Angell, Marcia James, Dianne Castell, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Patricia Sargeant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder.
A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM "TAILS OF LOVE "GOES TO THE ANIMAL ADOPTION FOUNDATION OF OHIO"
Man's Best Friend by Lori Foster
Series: SBC Fighter (Book 8)
Erin has known Gary since she was six years old and he was her brother's best friend. She's been in love with him almost as long, but since he became an SBC fighter she has felt that he's beyond her reach. When she's leaving work late one night, in pouring rain, she trips over a small puppy. Unfortunately, her car battery is also dead and her brother unavailable by phone. Her only other real choice is to call Gary for help, but her phone dies just as she reaches him. I loved the way that he came charging to the rescue.
Gary has had it bad for Erin for years. When she was younger, he avoided her for obvious reasons, but lately she's been avoiding him. He's grateful for this chance with her, and plans to make the most of it. I loved seeing the way he countered all of her objections as he brought her and the puppy to his house.
It was sweet to see the way they came together to take care of the puppy. Thanks to him, Gary had a chance to tell Erin how he felt, and Erin to see that he was, at heart, the same man she'd always known. The ending was hot and sweet.
A Knotty Tail by Stella Cameron
Cute story about a woman who adopts two dogs and a man with a cat. Rose and Simon had lived near each other for six months, but both seemed unable to gather the courage to approach the other. Rose is a nurse who, though she'd never had a pet before, adopted the dogs for company. She's a bit unsure of how to treat them. Simon is a bit of a loner, a cartoonist who keeps to himself.
Dickens and Madeline are the two dogs, and Clawdia is the cat. Most of the story is told from their viewpoint. I felt bad for the two dogs and the reason they were up for adoption. The conversations between the two were cute, as Madeline tries to instruct Dickens on proper behavior for getting adopted and kept. Clawdia was the personification of a cat - independent, selfish and snooty, but she had the redeeming factor of wanting Simon to be happy.
I loved seeing her scheme to bring the two humans together. I also enjoyed that the dogs didn't just go along, but put their own spin on the process. The interactions among the animals are pretty funny, especially their opinions of each other's intelligence and motives. I liked the way they got Simon over to Rose's house, and how the humans took it from there.
Norah's Arc by Kate Angell
Adorable story of how a pygmy goat brought a zookeeper and construction man together. Norah owns a petting zoo of miniature animals, one of which is a pygmy goat named Houdini. As indicated by his name, he is an expert at getting out of his pen. Currently, his favorite thing to do is visit the construction site next door, wreaking havoc as he does so.
The story starts as Mike confronts Norah about the goat currently bouncing around on the hood of his Corvette. Norah explains how the escape happened, and why the goat is on the car, and suddenly Mike finds himself providing a load of boulders for the goat pen to keep him occupied.
A bout with rain, mud and the goat, have both Mike and Norah wet, and the attraction between them really starting to sizzle. I loved Houdini's assistance in getting them past their first kiss. He seems intent of finding ways to get Mike and Norah together, though his methods don't do much for Mike's peace of mind.
When Houdini goes missing again, and no one can find him, Norah goes to Mike for help searching. I loved his kindness and patience during the search, and how much he helped when they finally found him. But what really sealed my liking for Mike was what he did for Norah and Houdini the next day. I loved seeing how Mike came to care about Norah and her animals.
The Pursuit of Happiness by Dianne Castell
A rather strange story. Jane is a good Savannah girl with a family full of unique personalities. Her boyfriend, Rex, is a veterinarian. The story opens with them in bed, doing what comes naturally. When finished, Rex is trying to get up the nerve to talk to her about their future. He has a problem that he needs her help to fix, but they get interrupted by a call from her mom before he can tell her.
The issue for her is that she is the one who is stuck solving the problems created by her family. One of the things she loves about Rex is that he is so normal. When he comes to see her, he finally explains the problem. He is a werewolf, cast under a spell years ago, The spell can be broken by true love (of course) and he has the instructions on how to do it. Jane freaks out, believing he is just as nuts as her family members, and refuses to have anything else to do with him.
I really liked Rex a lot. Yes, he has that problem, but he's an all around nice guy. He loves Jane and isn't put off by her crazy relatives. Jane was kind of a doormat with her family. I got a little frustrated with her confrontation with her mom over the car. She needs to be able to put her foot down and make them responsible for their own actions. If the car ends up being a problem, mom has to deal with it herself.
However, I did enjoy mom's reaction to the news about Rex and how she gave Jane some advice to think about. What Jane did then was fairly predictable, but there was a bit of fun on the way to do it. The ending was fun.
Atticus Saves Lisa by Ann Christopher
Cruz and Lisa had known each other for a long time. Cruz is her younger brother's best friend. There's definitely something between them, but Lisa has been fighting it. Her brother Keenan is in a wheelchair, victim of a drunk driving accident. She feels guilty because she was driving and feels that she should have been able to avoid the drunk driver. She has spent the last two years devoting all her time and energy to Keenan, and convincing herself that she doesn't deserve anything more in her life.
At the time of the story, she, Cruz and Keenan are celebrating Keenan's return to the workforce and independence. He has an assistance animal, a little monkey named Atticus, who helps with the things Keenan can't do.
Cruz decides it's time to make Lisa aware of his feelings. She fights it hard, afraid to be happy. I liked the way that Cruz tells Keenan of his intentions, and how he tries to get Lisa to face her fears. It takes some straight talk from Keenan to make Lisa see that she's allowed to be happy. Because he has Atticus he doesn't need her to take care of him any longer, freeing her to live her life. She then went to Cruz and admitted her love.
This was okay, but there wasn't much to it.
Rescue Me by Marcia James
Sweet story. Adam is a former football player who now owns a restaurant. One day he finds a small dog in the alley behind it. When he's not sure what to do with it, someone suggests he take it to the Rescue Me shelter a few blocks away. When he arrives there, he's stunned to find that it is run by his former college girlfriend, a woman he has never forgotten.
Adam admits to himself that he'd been a selfish, arrogant jerk when he left to take up his football career. Now that he's seen Claire again, he wants a second chance with her, and the little dog gives him the perfect excuse. It was really sweet to see the way that Adam bonded with the little dog, and kept going back to visit. It also gave him the way to see Claire every day. It was fun to see him "court" her by bringing gifts for the shelter. I also loved seeing the way he showed interest in her work.
Claire hadn't forgotten Adam either. The anger she still felt for him disappeared quickly as she saw the way he treated the dog. She was surprised by the way that he kept coming back, and didn't want to believe that it was because of her. She was wary of getting hurt again. I loved the scene with her coworker as it got pointed out to her that everyone could see how much Adam cared.
I loved the ending, as Adam got up the courage to ask her out. His nervousness was adorable. The scene in the restaurant was sweet and romantic.
Lord Hairy by Donna MacMeans
The only historical in the collection, this story was fun, with something of a Cinderella theme and a most unusual fairy godmother. The story starts with Hannah in the kitchen sneaking a snack, when she is spotted by her stepmother. Her stepmother isn't a very nice person and has nothing good to say to or about Hannah. However, she is determined that Hannah snag the attention of newly arrived in the area Lord Ashton. To punish Hannah for her snacking, she sends her off to deliver the food to a poor family.
While walking through the woods, Hannah is accosted by a huge black dog who steals the food that Hannah has. She can see that he's hungry and appears to have been in the woods for quite awhile. She can't just leave him, so she takes him home with her. Frustrated by her stepmother's harping on Lord Ashton, she names the dog "Lord Hairy Ashton". Her stepmother isn't happy to see the dog with Hannah and when she refuses to return the pooch to the woods, banishes both the dog and Hannah to the stables. She also denies Hannah the opportunity to attend the dance at Lord Ashton's the next night.
I loved how the servants refused to have that happen and arranged for Hannah to make it to the dance after all. Just as Hannah is enjoying a visit with her friends, mayhem breaks out as the dog, who had been left at the stables, comes bounding into the ballroom looking for Hannah. What follows is a very amusing encounter between Hannah and the dog's owner who is, naturally, Lord Ashton. They appear to connect very quickly over the dog. The ending is very good and has a very funny twist.
Danny's Dog by Sarah McCarty
A story that's sad, but also full of hope. It opens with Kathy helping with an animal rescue. One of them is a black lab that is so covered in sores that she doesn't know how he's still alive. When the shelter manager plans to put the dog in the terminal category, Kathy refuses to accept it and is determined to save the dog. There's something in his eyes that speaks to her. He makes her think of the dog she and her soon to be ex-husband were going to get their son.
The only way to take care of him is to find the dog a foster home, as she can't keep him in her apartment. And the only place she can think to take him is to her old house, but facing Walt is something she doesn't want to do. They had split six months earlier after their grief over their son's death tore them apart. Neither one had known how to express or share their grief.
I liked Walt. We learn a little about his background and why he had trouble sharing his grief. When Kathy left him, he finally got the help he needed to deal with it. This helps him face Kathy and let her know that he hasn't given up on them.
When she ends up in the hospital because of a fall, a nurse there sees the love that Walt still has for Kathy. She points Kathy in the direction of the help she needs, and soon Kathy is ready to face Walt again.
The day that Kathy goes to see Walt would have been their son's first birthday. What happens between them is emotional, sweet and shows great promise that they can move forward together, along with Danny's dog.
Scaredy Cat by Patricia Sargeant
Cute story with a beat up alley cat playing Cupid. Thomas is a cat that Kendra had found badly injured and took to the vet before adopting him as her own. The problem she has is that her boyfriend Harvey really doesn't like Tom - and the feeling is mutual. The story opens with Tom doing his best to keep Kendra from going out with Harvey and succeeding brilliantly. He also notices when another man comes to the rescue when Harvey leaves Kendra stuck on a ladder. I loved seeing his thoughts as he followed Paul to see where he lived and decided to try to bring them together.
The next day brings Harvey back to see Kendra, this time with a definite goal in mind. He wants to see Tom gone so that he has Kendra's attention again, but the way he goes about it is doomed to failure. I got a real chuckle out of seeing the way that Tom manipulated Harvey, though he certainly didn't expect the reaction he got. I loved seeing Kendra treat Harvey just as he deserved.
Once Tom knew where Paul lived he wanted to find a way to bring him and Kendra together, but he met with a difficult obstacle. That block has been claimed by the trio of cats that had attacked him the first time. He is wary of running into them again. But his motivation is strong, and he makes the attempt. I really loved the way that he overcame his fears and did what he had to do, even though he was attacked again. But it's what he did then that showed his real determination.
Circumstances like that are what bring out the true nature in people, and that it what it did for Paul. I loved seeing the way that he immediately stepped in to help Tom and how he supported Kendra while he did it. It was sweet to see the effect it had on Kendra, even as she was worried about making another mistake. The scene in the back room at the vet's was adorable, and I loved Tom's satisfaction with the results of his actions.
A Man, A Woman, and Haggis by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Cute story about a man and a woman brought together by the ghosts of their grandparents and a dog named Haggis. Jilly had come to Scotland to fulfill her grandmother's last wishes - to take the locket given to her by a Scotsman who had broken her heart and bury it on his grave. While having lunch at a nearby inn, she sees a highlander and his dog who encourage her to try the haggis to eat. As soon as it is served to her, the food is snatched from her plate by a dog also bearing the name of Haggis. His owner is an incredibly handsome man, who apologizes and offers her a tour of the loch on his boat.
Jilly knows she should say no, but she's intrigued by the man and agrees. When she tries to chicken out, she sees the highlander and his dog again, and it becomes clear they are ghosts. Succumbing to their obvious wishes, she goes on the trip and finds herself drawn to the man, but hesitant to get involved because of her family history.
Kieran is drawn to Jilly, but there's also something about her that is eerily familiar. When he figures out what it is, he's not happy to see that she's the granddaughter of the woman who broke his grandfather's heart. Some ghostly interference makes him realize that there is more to the story.
I loved seeing him convince her of the truth. It was sweet to see them figure out what really happened and use it to settle the truth. I loved seeing them resolve to make sure that history doesn't repeat itself.
contents
Man's Best Friend by Lori Foster (SBC Fighters, Bk 8)
A Knotty Tail by Stella Cameron
Norah's Arc by Kate Angell
The Pursuit of Happiness by Dianne Castell
Atticus Saves Lisa by Ann Christopher
Rescue Me by Marcia James
Lord Hairy by Donna MacMeans
Danny's Dog by Sarah McCarty
Scaredy Cat by Patricia Sargeant
A Man, a Woman, and Haggis by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
This was an enjoyable start to a series that I look forward to reading more of. Edwina, the heroine, and her group of friends decide to save the world from a rake named Ashton who has placed a personal ad for companionship. They fear he is trying to lure innocent women in to ruin. This is how Edwina ends up sneaking in to Ashton's house and the start of a sweet relationship.
Edwina is a wiz at cracking codes and cyphers, which was interesting and not something I've read before. I really liked Edwina and her friends that created the Rake Patrol. They were delightfully misguided together and sort of reminded me of myself with my friends when I was younger. I also like the fact that these ladies were not titled. They were in a social class that I don't often read about in historicals.
I think one of the things I liked best about Ashton was that he disliked his reputation as Casanova and regretted his behavior when he was younger. He wanted to be seen as more than a rake and he wanted to prove he was good at something other than taking women to bed and I appreciated that about him.
This one gets four stars instead of five mainly because the plot did get predictable in the second half of the book. I knew what was going to happen, but luckily the author wrote it in such a way that I still found it enjoyable.
I do look forward to reading about the other members of the Rake Patrol, especially Sarah.
The Casanova Code starts with Edwina Hargrove, a modern woman who sees patterns in every day things, decoding a letter from her beloved brother. She also enjoys reading through the Messenger's "Personal & Misc" page, where coded messages often appear. While reading through the section, Edwina stumbles upon an advertisement seeking "the acquaintance[...] of a high-minded, kindhearted lady...." The ad looks most romantic until Edwina's friend tells everyone that the ad was actually placed by Ashton Trewelyn, aka Casanova. Edwina and her loyal friends assume that Ashton has placed the ad for nefarious purposes so they form the Rake Patrol to spread the word and keep potential women from falling into Ashton's charming trap. As the ruse continues, Edwina comes to realize that Ashton is not the man he was when he originally earned the title and there is more to the man than his mere charm and good looks. Together, Ashton and Edwina discover a coded letter they must crack, while trying to figure out who the secret group known as the Guardians really are and what their purpose is regarding the Crown.
What I Liked: I enjoyed that Edwina was quirky and wanted to break away from societal rules concerning the proper things women should do. I love that she wanted to ride her bicycle and be her own woman while following her heart.
The jacket of the novel is beautiful and Ashton looks extra, super delicious *wink* Ashton's character was also very lovable. I like the whole 'man can do anything but it takes a push from a good woman' thing to make things happen. It's so romantic ;)
What I Didn't Like: Not a thing! All the characters worked well together and I especially enjoyed all the strong yet varied personalities of Edwina's friends. Very well written, original, and utterly heart fluttering.
I received this novel from Goodreads.com Early Reviewer Giveaway.
He sets up a trap to catch Lusinda and gets more than he bargained for when she falls for it., James coerces Lusinda into helping him recover a list from a safe and the story goes on from there. I love it, I loved both Lusinda and James, they were so good together.
I am working my way through Donna’s books and I hope they all are as good as what I have read so far
Fran does not want to stay in England and her father has said that he wants any children she has to go to school in American and that when she is confined she could probably come home for awhile so she plans on getting pregnant straight away. With the help of a diary of a Courtesan she tries to seduce her husband but he has his own problems in that he thinks she may be already pregnant so does not want to make her his wife until he is sure any children she has would be his and not another’s
It was quite an interesting story, at first I did not really like Fran but she grew on me, I loved William from the start and the ending was a surprise.
Emma Heatherston flees London after she overhears her uncle's plans for her future. She runs to Yorkshire to be a teacher at The Pettibone School for Young Ladies. There Emma takes on a new role as widow Emma Brimley. Emma's first night she meets her neighbor the notorious Lord Nicholas Chambers.
Lord Nicholas Chambers likes his quiet peaceful life painting in the countryside. His first meeting of the Widow Brimley intrigues him. For a widow there is something innocent about Emma.
Emma is shocked to learn that besides literature she is to teach bedroom etiquette. Emma turns to Nicholas for help. But this help has a price. Nicholas makes a deal with Emma, he will answer all her questions if she poses for him.
What starts out as a test of wills turns into a love of a lifetime. But can Nicholas protect Emma when her Uncle finds out where she has been hiding?
The Education of Mrs. Brimley is a superb novel. It's witty, tender and passionate. The characters feel like old friends by the time you are finished. I am really looking forward to the next book by this author.
The characters are lovely and deep. He suffered at the hands of a cruel father and his first wife who betrayed him. She has a deep fear of crowds and society, but secretly adores translating fairy tales. Once they stop fighting one another, I truly believed that they could make it together. Unfortunately, they spent an awful lot of time embroiled in one Big Misunderstanding, which I found frustrating.
That said there are a number of great scenes, the highlight for me was an honest to goodness FAN WAR! People always talk about the secret language of fans, but you rarely see it in action in novels. But here - full force!
More posted at my blog.
None of these stories are great...but none are bad either. There are ten stories in 335 reading pages which (if my math is still good) is about 33 pages a story...ish. The biggest reason to still buy this anthology? A portion of the proceeds goes to the Animal Adoption Foundation--'nuff said?
I won't try to detail each story other than to say that every one revolves around a pet or stray and their meaning to one, or both, of the main characters. There are stories by Lori Foster, Stella Cameron, Kate Angell, Dianne Castell, Ann Christopher, Marcia James, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Patricia Sargeant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder. There are contemporaries and historicals, straight-up romance and the occasional touch of paranormal. At least one story made me cry, at least one story made me laugh, and I had a smile on my face when I was done.
Chambers is an artist in desperate search for a model to inspire a painting good enough to be accepted into the London Academy. So he strikes an unorthodox bargain with Mrs. Brimley - one truthful answer to her question per item of clothing she removes to pose for him. And Emma has a lot of questions.
I really enjoyed this novel. I have a soft spot for artists - whether poets, sculptors, or painters. So the descriptions of Chambers' painting and how he is inspired by Emma's transformation into a goddess really worked for me. I love stories where the heroine is a muse for the hero - and that definitely happens here.
I also enjoyed Mrs. Brimley's interactions with the girls at the school, although I thought those aspects were sadly neglected at times in order to focus more on the situation with Chambers. I had hoped for more scenes between the teacher and the girls under her charge - perhaps truly demonstrating how she becomes the girls' favorite teacher.
Despite some flaws, this story was fun and sexy. A good first effort, and I'll keep an eye out for more by this author.
Posted at my blog.
Tämä sivusto käyttää evästeitä palvelujen toimittamiseen, toiminnan parantamiseen, analytiikkaan ja (jos et ole kirjautunut sisään) mainostamiseen. Käyttämällä LibraryThingiä ilmaiset, että olet lukenut ja ymmärtänyt käyttöehdot ja yksityisyydensuojakäytännöt. Sivujen ja palveluiden käytön tulee olla näiden ehtojen ja käytäntöjen mukaista.