50 Ways to Hex Your Lover Linda Randall Wisdom

I've read this series totally out of order but it's a series that you can do that with. These books are always so much fun. This book has a witch, a vampire, a ghost, and.....Fluff & Puff the most amazing, cute, dangerous, chattering bunny slippers. This book is about lovers reuniting after years of being "on-again, off-again", and vampires disappearing due to a VERY icky, evil villain. The ending was very satisfying.

Prince of Dreams by Lisa Kleypas

It's so rare for me to not like a Kleypas book. I didn't care for the reincarnation thing. I was interested by the very beginning of the story and then that was it. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't stomach the "hero"'s redemption at the end. It seemed like the main reason he has a change of heart is because he fell for the woman that his wife was reincarnated from. If you are big into that kind of thing than you might like this book. It just didn't work for me.

The Taste of Innocence by Stephanie Laurens

This book started off well enough but in the end I'd only give it 3 stars because of all the internal conflicts within the hero and the BS he puts the heroine through because of it. Basically his deal is this: He feels that if he admits he loves his wife and gives in to her he will lose control and it will affect his ability to be the Earl.....wah, wah, wah. I was happy when, at one point, he realizes that because of his pretended indifference and refusal to hear his wife when she tried to tell him about her orphanage - she might have been hurt and he never would have known she was in danger. I just thought it was a good moment where he was mentally "knocked up side his head". Like, "See, that was what almost happened because of your pig-headedness". He comes around after that, but I never really never liked his character as much after that. The heroine is pretty cool - smart, pretty, runs an orphanage. And I love the Sherlock Holmes-type character of Barnaby Adair. Even though it would be reading out of order, I got his book and might read it next anyway.

A Rake's Vow by Stephanie Laurens

I liked the cozy little mystery tucked into the romance. There were sparks between the hero & heroine. I thought Patience's "harem" was too funny. I would love it if the author revisited Edmond and gave him a book of his own or at least gave him a happy ending in a future book. One little itty bitty thing that I didn't like about the book is the same thing I don't like with a lot of romances - Patience's stubborn refusal to marry Vane until the end of the book. I mean I like to consider myself an independent woman, but it just seems so far-fetched to me (almost to the realm of fantasy like lepruchans, dragons, and the Easter bunny) that a woman in her right mind, who hadn't had any serious trauma would turn down honorable romantic intentions from a guy who - in the heroine's words - "looks like a god", has more money then he knows what to do with, strong, capable, passionate, kind to old ladies and children, loves you, etc., etc.

Now I know the reason Patience gives is that she wasn't sure he loved her. C'mon......... If she wasn't being such a nit wit about it she could tell without words.

Wish List by Lisa Kleypas, Claudia Dain, Lynsay Sands, Lisa Cach

I bought this book for the Lisa Kleypas story because I LOVE just about all of her books. I was very disappointed by this story. It was the story about a rake that reforms. The rake in question is no St. Vincent(one of her other reformed rake characters - more clever and complex). I don't know if it was that the story was too short and didn't allow for much character development or if I just didn't like the character. There were a million points when the heroine waxes romantic about him and all I could think was, "Really, really? You waited all this time only to give it up for this toad?" Not a good representation of this author's work.

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

I think the hero in this book, Lord Westcliff, is this author's version of Mr. Darcy from "Pride & Predjudice". That being said, Lillian Bowman, the heroine, is no Elizabeth Bennett, and this is not just a re-tooling of that story. Lillian is the kind of woman that a woman would love for a friend - loyal, fun, shrewd, and made of pretty stern stuff. It was interesting to see Marcus & Lillian's relationship progress. Plus....the rogue that emerges in this story is such a classic character - the dashing, blonde, blue-eyed, charming, quick-witted, rakish Lord St. Vincent. I'm so glad she gave him his own book next, "Devil In Winter".

England's Perfect Hero by Suzanne Enoch

This book would make a good movie. There's just a lot of spy/war stuff that would translate well to film. I loved the hero - Robert Carroway - an ex-soldier traumatized psychologically from his war service. The heroine - Lucinda - starts out looking to snag the type of man she thinks she wants, when Robert kind of falls into her lap. At first he goes about helping her to trap her unsuspecting young man, but soon the two end up falling for each other. The romance between Robert & Lucinda is the best part of the book. I love the part when he takes her out riding and she asks about having a chaperone. She says that she should be flattered because, to her, it means that he sees her as an equal rather than a delicate little flower in need of supervision. I recommend this book for the romance but I could have done without a lot of the war storyline.