A Scoundrel's Surrender by Jenna Petersen

So here's a big thank you to the lovely ladies over at Romance Reviews Today for sending me this book for review! Here's the link to my review on their site: A Scoundrel's Surrender by Jenna Petersen

http://www.jennapetersen.com/

Alright, so this is generally something that doesn’t matter to me, but still annoyed me greatly with this book – the cover. THE COVER DOES NOT SAY HISTORICAL ROMANCE – at all. In fact, it broadcasts contemporary, what with the highlights in the girl’s hair, its modern-esque layered cut, and her heavy eye-makeup which I am certain did not exist in the 1800s. Let’s face it, even the way they’re postured screams contemporary! So boo and hiss, Avon, for your idiotic cover. You normally do so well. However, let us not hold the cover against the author and her writing when there are so many good parts of this book. I mean, really, this book could’ve been covered in saran wrap and it wouldn’t have affected my reading experience.

So what was bad? The book was underwhelming, and a little disjointed – a series of photographs rather than a panorama view. The setting was poorly done, so I found myself floating around in the space of Petersen’s London without an anchor. I found myself watching dances at balls when there wasn’t clear context or reading about tea at random. To be honest, however, the floating effect was only a lingering annoyance – like a flying buzzing around while you watch TV. It definitely wasn’t overwhelmingly distracting, and I found, for the most part, I enjoyed the book and its scenes even though I had issues following the protagonist’s London life. The passage of time was also a problem in that it wasn’t marked clearly, but again it wasn’t overwhelming. However these were simply minor annoyances.

For most of the story, I found myself struggling with the humanity of our protagonists. I truly didn’t like Caleb at the beginning of the story – he was rude, selfish, and wallowing in self-pity. I didn’t particularly like Marah either, though I empathized with her and felt her pain, so I was less annoyed with her. I was worried about how much I could possibly enjoy the book – after all, if I don’t like either of the main characters can I really like the book? Yes, it turns out. Yes I can. What made this book so incredible is that Marah and Caleb made each other better. I liked them better together than apart. Marah helped Caleb become less selfish – more thoughtful and compassionate – and Caleb helped Marah stop hiding from herself, her family, and the world in general. Together, I grew to like them for their combined strength and it was a unique, touching approach to romance. I also found, as I reflected on the book, that I appreciated the human faults that Caleb and Marah have because while they made the romance less whimsical and more realistic.

The best part of this book, the part that really made it for me, was the happy ever after. Caleb’s considerate behavior showed he was finally focusing his energy on someone else and their needs, wants, and desires. He’d finally let go of his hurtful selfishness and I could really see his inner beauty. I was sold, during the happy ever after, and finished the book very confident that Caleb and Marah had many, many gloriously wonderful years ahead of them. I was also confident in the strength of their relationship – one thing that Petersen shows really well. Other positives worth mentioning are the well-written emotions, fun secondary characters, and really hot sex scenes. Overall, there was a lot of good in this book – but while it was good it wasn’t fabulous, and its underwhelming nature makes it a bit unmemorable. An ‘eh’ read.

Favorite quote:

Justin was on his feet in a moment and Caleb couldn’t help but stare. His normally dark and dangerous brother had just lit up like a candle glowed within him.

“Victoria,” Justin breathed…

“Sexy”ness rating: Really, exceptionally hot

Overall Rating: B-

Bottom Line: The book was enjoyable, but not great. Unmemorable with exceedingly annoying characters that somehow became less annoying together making for a wonderful HEA.

Pages: 372

Published: July 26, 2011

Genre: Historical

The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton by Miranda Neville

So here's a big thank you to the ladies over at Romance Reviews Today for getting me the copy of this book! My review is posted on their blog, here.

Book 3 in The Burgundy Club series

www.mirandaneville.com

There was a lot of good and a lot of not-so-good in this book. In an effort to end on a positive note, I’ll start with what I didn’t like after a brief plot summary. Celia Seaton has just been fired as a governess, and to make her day even worse, she’s now been kidnapped, forced to strip down to her chemise, and locked in a hot attic. But Celia is no quitter and neither is she a shy English miss – she makes a daring escape only to find the man who ruined her marriage prospects in London a few years ago, Tarquin Compton, unconscious on the floor of the cottage she was taken too. After reviving the man, who has no recollection of his past or identity, she decides to play a trick on him and invents a past for him – as well as a future for the two of them. Yes, the fictional ‘Terence Fish’ and Celia are engaged to be married – but first they must make their escape together!

What follows is a mystery that includes another kidnapping, a beautiful countess, a bitch of a duchess, a baby with a silver rattle, a mysterious ruby, and an on-again-off-again engagement. What didn’t I like about this book? I was bored. The suspense wasn’t built well and I could not feel the love or kinship developing between Tarquin and Celia. I had a hard time feeling any sincerity, anywhere, in this book. The characters didn’t have complexity or depth and I felt like I was running through water when trying to enjoy the writing. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, felt their behavior often contradictory, didn’t feel the inner conflict/dialogue when there was any, and felt many of the characters to be completely stereotyped cookie-cutters, with nothing unique. Perhaps Neville’s writing style doesn’t work for me, but I found the book fairly dull and unromantic with characters that simply went through the motions of love and romance without any real feeling. To be honest, the entire book just felt flat and it made the HEA boring and a bit… unhappy for me.

What did I like about this book? I liked how unique it was. In the historical romance genre there are about ten commonly used plots, with small discrepancies that make those books slightly different from one another. Don’t get me wrong, I love those ten plots – but I love what Neville did even more. With a totally unique premise, what with the kidnapping and flirty little lies, I found that I was supremely pleased with the uniqueness of Neville’s ideas and imagination. I found the book’s plot to be refreshing and that definitely added to my interest of the book, so even as I was bored I wasn’t so bored as to stop reading entirely. All in all, this being the second Neville I tried and didn’t like, I probably won’t try another – I think my favored style of reading and her style of writing just don’t click The banter, I will admit, was very fun but the rest of the book simply couldn't hold my interest.

Favorite quotes:

“Your home is in Cornwall. Near Falmouth, on the sea.” (Celia, telling ‘Terence’ about his family and past)

“A suitable location for a family of Fishes. Are we big Fist or little Fish?” (Tarquin)

“You told me your family is highly respected.”

“But the question is, how big is the pond in which we swim? And how many are in the shoal? Am I an orphan Fish? An only Fish? Do I have living parents or close relations?”

After Celia shows up in Tarquin’s room:

“You didn’t seem to mind. I came to tell you something and you just grabbed me.” (Celia)

“I was asleep. I had no idea what I was doing.” (Tarquin)

“If your valet came in while you slept would you pull him into bed with you?”

“Sexy”ness rating: Sexy, but includes words such as quim and pintle. Hm. Not as awkward as mons, but it comes close…

Overall Rating: C-

Bottom Line: If you like Neville’s work, you’ll like this one. I loved the unique plot, but overall the characters and romance fell very, very flat.

Pages: 373

Published: July 26, 2011

Genre: Historical

The Season and Romance Reviews Today

Hi Everyone! You know that feeling of 'making it big'? That's how I'm feeling right now!

 First of all, my pudding made a heart. Do you see that? It's PERFECT! It's a SIGN!!! (Avenue Q, anyone?)

But onto the REALLY exciting news: Romance Reviews Today and The Season have both officially accepted me to be reviewers on their sites! Terrie and Bev are both really sweet (and, um, Bev writes really awesome historical books. So I'm trying to be professional and not SQUEE every time I see an email from her. I don't know how good a job I'm doing...) and I am SO looking forward to reviewing for them!

Reviews of books received from their sites will also be posted on my site, a few days after being posted on The Season or RRT! This is a really exciting, important opportunity for me and I'm REALLY ready to melt into a puddle of goo over how excited I am. Ecstatic, honestly. I'm so honored to be part of this online community at such a young age, and I can't begin to describe to you how happy I am.

So look for reviews of books sent to me by RRT and The Season, and don't forget that I still review for Siren's Song. YAY!