Sportochick's Musings: 2017

Saturday, December 30, 2017

A Match Made in Heather by Anna Harrington

Sportochick's Musings ~ Author Anna Harrington does an outstanding job with her scenic descriptions and vivid portrayal of the deep emotions within Arabel and Garrick towards what happened in their past and how they feel about each other in the present.

A Match Made in Heather

by Anna Harrington

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Publisher ~ St. Martin's Press Swerve

Genres ~ Historical Romance

WHEN HIGHLAND HEARTS COLLIDE...
Arabel Rowland was the laird’s daughter, courted by sons of dukes and as wild and untamed as the Highlands around her. Garrick McGuiness was nothing more than a penniless, nameless Scot working in the Rowland stables with nothing to offer but his heart. On the eve when they were to elope, Arabel is forced to make a decision that changes both of their lives—one that drives them apart for a decade.

SPARKS ARE SURE TO FLY!
Ten years later, Garrick is now Earl of Townsend and surprised to receive word of an inheritance from the Rowlands—and simply stunned to learn that he must share that inheritance with the one woman he hoped never to see again. His plan is to fulfill the will's requirement, take the money, and never return to Scotland again. But when the deadly secret that came between them is revealed, he finds himself experiencing the Highlands—and his feelings toward Arabel—in a way he never did before.

Fate tore them apart, but now he’s back in her life with status, money and a title. Can they let go of past hurts and find love?

Author Anna Harrington does an outstanding job with her scenic descriptions and vivid portrayal of the deep emotions within Arabel and Garrick towards what happened in their past and how they feel about each other in the present.

Garrick is a standout character for how his caring loving younger self matures through the pain of losing Arabel to his present day hard unemotional self who only desires revenge. This was handled with distinction and the reader will journey with Garrick as he once again unwillingly changes.

I would like to say that Arabel did the right thing in the very beginning, but I can't. I would have liked her to be stronger and to love more faithfully. But to be honestly she did as was expected in her time and once again watching her change from a girl into a woman was rewarding as all her emotions were displayed for us to feel on every page of this book.

It is interesting how the family dynamics come to play in this book and I did appreciate how they were woven into the storyline to further explain the rift that was caused in the past between Arabel and Garrick.

I give this 4 STARS for showing that even a traumatic past can bring about a wondrous ending.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

I fell in love with historical romances and all things Regency—and especially all those dashing Regency heroes—while living in England, where I spent most of my time studying the Romantic poets, reading Jane Austen, and getting lost all over the English countryside.

When I read my first Regency romance in 2012, I was hooked and longed to create my own independent and spirited heroines and dashing heroes. The best part of writing historical romances is falling into history—to live in the world of Regency England through my characters, with dazzling balls, beautiful dresses, and gorgeous houses that I would otherwise never be able to experience. I love the period’s rich history and find that all those rules of etiquette and propriety can be worked to the heroine’s advantage…if she’s daring enough to seize her dreams.

In addition to earning my degrees in the U.S., I have studied theatre in London, Mexican history in Guadalajara, and Spanish in Ecuador. I am an avid traveler and have enjoyed visiting schools and volunteering with children's organizations in Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, and Mexico, and I have amassed thousands of photos I unleash on unsuspecting friends who dare to ask about my travels.

I love to be outdoors! I've been hiking in Alaska, the Andes, and the Alps, including one week spent dangling off the via ferrata in the Italian Dolomites, and I love whitewater rafting (when I don't fall in!). I earned my pilot’s license at Chicago Midway (To all the controllers in Chicago Center—I greatly apologize for every problem I caused for you and Southwest Airlines), and it is my dream to one-day fly in a hot-air balloon over Africa.

I adore all things chocolate, shamelessly dive into ice cream of any flavor, and guzzle Kona coffee by the gallon. A Doctor Who fanatic (everyone says my house is bigger on the inside), I am a terrible cook who hopes to one day use my oven for something other than shoe storage. When I'm not writing, I like to spend my time trying not to kill the innocent rose bushes in my garden.

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Go for a ride and read.... Caught by the Scot by Karen Hawkins

Sportochick's Musings ~ A hysterical adventure from start to finish this is a truly entertaining read because watching Mr. Hotness, Connor, NOT get his way was rewarding.

Caught by the Scot

Made to Marry #1

by Karen Hawkins

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Publisher ~ Gallery Books

Genres ~ Historical Romance

Caught by the Scot is a fabulously witty and irresistibly sexy Scottish historical romance from New York Times bestseller Karen Hawkins. Fans of Julia Quinn, Monica McCarty and Julie Garwood will be won over by the spellbinding Made to Marry series.

When the dark Duke of Hamilton loses his beloved wife, he heeds her dying wish that he make certain her three brothers marry well for she fears they are all headed to ruin. Heartsick, the Duke approaches the task with a heavy hand, ordering the three brothers to marry within three months or forego their inheritance.

The middle brother, the dashing Conner Douglas, is not about to give up his independence, but he knows marriage doesn't always mean one must change, does it? If anything, being married to a pliable sort of female would give him even more opportunity to seduce the married women of the ton. So he heads straight for the most pliable female he knows - a childhood acquaintance and now mousy spinster, the English born and bred Miss Theodora Cumberbatch-Snowe.

Conner is so certain Theodora will joyously agree to marry him, that he takes his time traveling to her house and has only one month to secure her hand and marry. Yet when he arrives at her parents' house he discovers that Theodora has just run away with a local landowner—a farmer, no less! Unknown to Conner, Theodora has been wildly, passionately in love with him for years. But she's accepted that he sees her only as a friend. Unable to sit forever in her parents' front parlor and wait for what will never happen, Theodora decided to marry someone comfortable in the hopes they might at least become good partners.

Unaware of Theodora's feelings, Conner isn't about to let 'the perfect wife' get away so easily. But as Conner seduces Theodora, his own feelings stir. And after surviving a trip of mishaps and traps, he discovers that he can't image her marrying anyone but him.

The Duke of Hamilton's loss of his beloved wife and her desire for him to force her three brothers to wed so they don't lose their inheritance was a dramatic opening to this new series. I was instantly intrigued and looking forward to reading this book.

A hysterical adventure from start to finish this is a truly entertaining read because watching Mr. Hotness, Connor, NOT get his way was rewarding. But better than that was watching him evolve from self-centeredness to awareness of other people's emotions and needs.

The fact that there is no villain in this story creates an atmosphere of niceness but don't be turned off by this. It is in fact a book with lots of hidden meanings and lessons for everyone. Theodora adds the resistance and friction to keep the reader entranced with her back and forth dialog with Connor. Along the way Theodora learns a lot about her needs as well and her character development fits nicely with Connor's personal growth.

The overall moral to this story is that win-win situations can occur if all parties concerned are willing to try.

It is refreshing to read a book where everyone is a nice person, so I give this 4 STARS for being a delight to read.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Karen Hawkins is known for her wonderfully humorous and emotion-tugging historical and contemporary romances. The author of over 30 novels, Karen writes for a living between shopping for shoes, playing around on Facebook and Pinterest, looking for fun items for Hawkins Manor, and napping, although usually not at the same time. Sometimes, for fun, she takes Instagram pictures of her two rescue dogs, Sadie and Teke, and posts them online.

Yeah, she's a wild one.

Karen lives in balmy Orlando, Florida, with her husband, aka Hot Cop, and her two dogs. Her children are both out of college and have become productive, non-violent members of society. Karen writes six to eight hours a day when not obsessively reading research books on Regency-era Scotland, snacking on chocolate, or looking out the windows of her house and thinking about gardening. Her hobbies include sculpting, oil painting, playing badminton, and -- ok, ok, she doesn't have any hobbies, but if she did, she's sure they'd be something refined and fascinating.

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Monday, December 25, 2017

Disappear into reading.. Traitor in Her Arms by Shana Galen

Sportochick's Musings ~ Most people read because they want to escape their life. This book meets that desire. It was finally at the end of the book when I came up for air and said "Wow. What a ride!" that I came back to the present time.

Traitor in Her Arms

The Scarlet Chronicles #1

by Shana Galen

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Publisher ~ Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept

Genres ~ Historical Romance

Two morally compromised souls wage a battle of wits—and seduction—against the backdrop of the French Revolution in this thrilling romance from bestselling author Shana Galen.

After her late husband leaves her in debt to some dangerous people, Lady Gabrielle McCullough is forced to become a thief. In the intervening years, her skills have not gone unnoticed. After being recruited by the Scarlet Pimpernel, the mysterious do-gooder spiriting aristocrats out of revolutionary France, Gabrielle crosses the Channel for the most daring mission of her life. Accompanying her is the Earl of Sedgwick, a thief in his own right and an enticingly masculine presence. The man is not to be trusted—nor is Gabrielle’s body when he’s near.

Ramsey Barnes would not say he is an honorable man. His whole life has been based on a lie; why change now? Although it pains him to deceive the tantalizing Gabrielle, he’s working toward an altogether different objective: unmasking the Scarlet Pimpernel. If Ramsey fails, his blackmailer will ruin him. But when Ramsey’s confronted with the carnage of the Reign of Terror, he seeks refuge in Gabrielle’s heated embrace. Now he faces a terrible choice: betray the woman who’s stolen his heart—or risk losing everything.

This standalone novel includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Miscommunication, unspoken love and redemption lead this story straight into the readers heart. It is very fast paced, full of intrigue and rich with vivid descriptions leading this reader into another world.

I loved the friction between Lady Gabrielle and Earl of Sedgwick but as the story unfolded the possibility that these two star crossed lovers would never find a way to be together made me frantic.

This book is not all light. There is darkness in it due to the French Revolution but the way it is portrayed intrigued me and honestly was impactful as well as creative.

Most people read because they want to escape their life. This book meets that desire. It was finally at the end of the book when I came up for air and said "Wow. What a ride!" that I came back to the present time.

I give this 5 STARS for it richness in characters and presentation.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Shana Galen is the bestselling author of fast-paced adventurous Regency historicals, including the RT Reviewers' Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Booklist says, "Galen expertly entwines espionage-flavored intrigue with sizzling passion," and RT Bookreviews calls her "a grand mistress of the action/adventure subgenre." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making. Shana loves to hear from readers, so send her an email or see what she's up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.

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Read the delightful...Never Dare a Dragon by Ashlyn Chase

Sportochick's Musings ~ This third book to the Boston Dragons series is full of strong willed characters trying to do the right thing.

Never Dare a Dragon

Boston Dragons #3

by Ashlyn Chase

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Publisher ~ Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genres ~ Paranormal Shifter Romance

Jayce Fierro is part of a legendary Boston firefighting family of phoenix shifters. Hiding his true form makes being in a relationship rather difficult. Meeting the beautiful Lieutenant Kristine Scott of the New York City Fire Department and knowing he can’t have her only makes things worse.

Dragon shifter Kristine can’t stop thinking about fun, flirty Jayce and his teasing smile. A relationship could never work-not with the distance between them, and definitely not with her shifter secret. But when Kristine lands herself in a blaze of trouble and secrets are revealed, Jayce will do whatever it takes to help-whether or not the feisty, stubborn New Yorker wants him to.

This third book to the Boston Dragons series is full of strong willed characters trying to do the right thing.

Kristine does everything for the right reasons but ends up in a pickle when her mom's situation forces her to make choices between moral right and family love. This character is very intriguing. Her mind is wired in a manner that portrays quick thinking but independency from others. So it was quite fun watching her learn to let others help.

Jayce is hysterical..... well his first meeting with Kristine was. But how he turns the tables and pushes his way into her life was enjoyable to read and kept the story moving right along.

Secondary characters were all well rounded with many of them presented in the first two books of this series. While I didn't think I would like Kristine's mom from the description in the beginning of the book I really got to understand her and like how she learned to survive with her secrets and fears.

All in all this was an easy fast read and for this reason I give it 4 STARS.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

My Reviews Of The Boston Dragons Series

I Dream of Dragons #1 - My Review Amazon
My Wild Irish Dragon #2 - My Review Amazon
Never Dare a Dragon #3 - My Review Amazon

Ashlyn Chase has been a registered nurse for 20 years. During those years, she wrote articles for professional journals and a thesis, but eventually, thank goodness, discovered the joy and freedom of writing fiction.

Ashlyn considers herself lucky. Her degree in behavioral sciences is a combination of psychology and sociology, so she has worked with and studied people most of her life. She never has to write out exhaustive character sketches to understand her characters or predict how they will behave. That doesn't mean they don't surprise her. Sometimes they take her on grand unexpected journeys. For her, it gives "character driven novels" a whole new meaning.

Ashlyn has learned to go with the flow. To enjoy the journey is not only one of her writing goals, but also a challenge in life so she tries to follow where the story takes her. As such, she has lived in 17 different places over the years. At last, she's all settled down and comfy in New England.

Is there a grand design or do we decide our own fates? Perhaps if the powers-that-be have a plot, then they also give us the right to revise it. Ashlyn has certainly made detours on her path, but she thinks she's better for it. She's having fun at any rate and hopes that if she enjoys the journey, so will those around her—including her readers.

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Sunday, December 3, 2017

The Duke of Danger by Darcy Burke

Sportochick's Musings ~ A love story to warm your heart.

The Duke of Danger

The Untouchables #6

by Darcy Burke

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Publisher ~ Darcy Burke Publishing, Inc.

Genres ~ Historical Romance

After killing his opponent in a duel, Lionel Maitland, Marquess of Axbridge, is known as the Duke of Danger. Tortured by guilt, he shields himself with a devil-may-care attitude. However, when he kills another man in another duel, he’s beyond redemption, even though it wasn’t his fault. He refuses to smear a dead man’s name, especially when he’s left behind a blameless widow who doesn’t deserve an even bigger scandal.

Widowed and destitute, Lady Emmaline Townsend must marry the man of her parents’ choosing or beg unsympathetic relatives for support. The only way out is to ask for help from the one man she’s sworn to hate, the man who owes her anything she asks, the man who killed her husband. They strike a devil’s bargain in which passion simmers just beneath the surface. But her dead husband’s transgressions come back to haunt them and threaten their chance at love.

This book six of The Untouchable series goes beyond my expectation of a romance novel. It combines a tortured past with a man that has too much honor. I know that sounds harsh but because Lionel feels honor is the most important thing he misses out on life, in my opinion.

His character works though as a good counterbalance to Emmaline. This lady could of come off as a ditzy woman but in all I really liked her. She made some decisions when she was younger that were not wise but she uses this to create a toughness in herself that doesn't allow her family or Lionel to take further advantage of her. The most important thing about her is her ability to rethink a situation and make changes as needed. This is a lesson all people should learn.

I give this 4 STARS for the love that came through in the end between all the main characters in this book.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

My Review Of The Untouchables Series
The Duke of Desire #4 - My Review
The Duke of Defiance #5 - My Review

The Duke of Danger #6 - My Review

The Duke of Ice #7 - My Review
The Duke of Ruin #8 - My Review

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Join Darcy's Reader Club for free books and other exclusives at http://darcyburke.com/readerclub. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her devoted husband, their two great kids, and two Bengal cats. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. She’s also a fair-weather runner, and her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge.

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