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Jean A. (readinggenie) - Reviews

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Affair of Interest / The Luck of the Devil
Affair of Interest / The Luck of the Devil
Author: Barbara Metzger
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 6
Review Date: 5/23/2022
Helpful Score: 1


"An Affair of Interest" 1991
"The Luck of the Devil" 1991
By Barbara Metzger. this book contains two separate romances. Published in 1998
This was a re-read for me. I love the way Barbara Metzger weaves her stories into great romances.
The First story "An Affair of Interest" is about a young girl, Sydney Lattimore. She planned and worked it out to give her sister, Winifred, a season. When she was running out of money, she decided to go to a money lender. The beginning of great fun!
The second story "The Luck of the Devil" is about Rowanne Wimberly, a conservative young woman who manages her brother's house. At her first visit to Almach's, she sits by the sidelines until three handsome rakes enter. The one in the uniform, Harmon Carrisbrooke Delverson, called Carey for short , was introduced to her and this really begins this story. Lieutenant Delverson went off to war with Rowanne's mother's broach for good luck. Carey didn't forget her. Rowanne didn't forget her soldier rake. (FYI no sex.)
Twp great stories in one book. A very fun and pleasurable read. Happy Reading! Reading Genie


An Affair with a Notorious Heiress (Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, Bk 4)
An Affair with a Notorious Heiress (Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, Bk 4)
Author: Lorraine Heath
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 30
Review Date: 10/29/2019


AN AFFAIR WITH A NOTORIOUS HEIRESS"
by Lorraine Heath 2017
Prime marriage material, Alistair Mabry, Marquess of Rexton, future Duke of Greystone was attending his sister's ball when he was approached by Garrett Hamersley. Hammersley wanted Rexton to squire his niece around in order to help pique other gentlemen's interest in her. Gina was a shy wallflower. To make it worth Rexton's time, Hemmersley offered Black Diamond to stud. Rexton was horse crazy and accepted the agreement. What he hadn't taken into consideration was Gina's sister, Lady Mathilda Landsdowne. Upon meeting her when he went to pick up Gina for a drive, the sparks began to fly. She was the divorced Notorious Heiress. He could not get seriously involved with her except as his mistress which sounded very nice. For only a woman without scandal could be his wife.
Just a note here: A lot of sexual 'thoughts' throughout the book. A bit much but probably emphasized his 'desire' for Lady Landsdowne. Happy Reading! ReadingGenie


The Banished Bride (Signet Regency Romance)
The Banished Bride (Signet Regency Romance)
Author: Andrea Pickens
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 17
Review Date: 4/25/2019


"The Banished Bride" by Andrea Pickens (March 2002)
Scandalous Secrets Book 1

At fourteen Aurora was offered as a winning bet in a game of chance. She was to become the bride to a son of the Earl of Woodbridge. She was heavily veiled and her inebriated groom forced to the altar. After the wedding the groom went off in his scarlet regimentals of a Lieutenant in The Horse Guards. When his father asked how long he would be gone he replied "I've no idea. The longer, the better".
Aurora was to be sent to one of the estates owned by her husband but she took off with her nanny who had inherited a small sum.
She and her nanny found out that her husband wasn't a total cad as he was sending her money every year. She didn't know where he was and after so many years (about 10) she didn't care. She ran a business called "The Sprague Agency for Distressed Females" . Going by the name of Aurora Sprague she saved wives threatened by their husbands and found out all sorts of information on unfaithful husbands. She had a girl who needed to be moved to Scotland and she had to take her there but in her haste she forgot about arranging for a companion for herself on the way back. So she he found herself with only her coachman.
Alex Fenimore (the groom) found out he was now the heir since his brother Charles had recently died of an illness. He was the new Earl of Woodbridge and was being released from his duties on the continent to return home but he didn't want to go. His commanding officer General Winthrop took pity on him and gave him one last assignment...to find a spy, a woman spy somewhere off the west coast of Scotland.
Unfortunately the act of Aurora being alone brought her to the attention of Alex who thought she was the spy. What a mad and interesting development this all becomes. Happy Reading! Reading Genie.

You might like some of the other books by Andrea Pickens:
A Diamond in the Rough
Second Chances
The Hired Hero
A Lady of Letters
The Major's Mistake


The Baron's Governess Bride (Glass Slipper Brides, Bk 2) (Love Inspired Historical, No 140)
Review Date: 1/3/2018


"The Baron's Governess Bride" by Deborah Hale 2012.
(This is a Love Inspired Historical) 2nd Book in the Glass slipper Bride's Series.
Grace Ellerby had been beautiful all her life. When her father died and her step-mother sent her to the terrible Pendergast School, she was tormented because of her looks. When she became a governess, she had more problems with single men in the houses where she stayed. Thus she felt her only recourse was to disguise herself. She went to her next interview with her disguise in place.
Lord Rupert Steadwell had three motherless daughters. Their last governess had run off to be married. Rupert didn't want that to happen again so he chose Miss Ellerby because she was so plain and unmarriageable.
Grace came to love the girls but was still skittish around Lord Steadwell. The girls discovered her disguise and wanted Grace to go to a mask ball to stop their father from remarrying.
Can Grace put aside her fears and go to the ball? Does Rupert see through her plain disguise?
Lots more to the story. No detailed sex in this one.
Happy Reading!


Blame It on the Duke (Disgraceful Dukes, Bk 3)
Blame It on the Duke (Disgraceful Dukes, Bk 3)
Author: Lenora Bell
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 13
Review Date: 1/26/2018


"Blame It On The Duke" by Lenora Bell (May 2017)
Nicholas, Lord Hatherly, decided to live for the day because his father, the Duke of Barrington, had gone mad and so had all his ancestors. Nicholas was just waiting for the day when he himself would go mad. He vowed he would never marry but his father somehow got out of the house and gambled "him" away. Now he was honor bound to marry.
Miss Alice Tombs had plans to travel with her brother to India. She had saved a manuscript her grandfather was going to throw away. it was the missing piece to the Kama Sutra of Vatsydyana. She had been working on translating it when she found out her father had won the notorious Marquess in a game of cards and her parents expected her to marry him.
During her meeting with the Marquess, Alice talks Nicholas into marrying her. The agreement is that they will live together for a month in which time Nicholas would show her the ways of passion and then she would go on her way to India and be able to travel as a married woman. Nicholas would be free to do as he pleases and her father would pay his debts.
The story was going real well until about 2/3 ways through you have some detailed sex which I should have been prepared for since she had stipulated he teach her the ways of passion. The author does show how involved a woman can get when you put "marriage/love" into the mix.
My mother once told me how the doctor in her small town warned her away from a fellow because insanity ran in the family. The modern thought on this is still pretty much the same - that the predisposition toward insanity runs in families but predisposition is not the same as determinism. It's just one factor. The other factor which is more important is the environment.
The story is fun, happy and sad at the same time.
Happy Reading!


The Bride Insists
The Bride Insists
Author: Jane Ashford
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 11
Review Date: 9/17/2017


"The Bride Insists" by Jane Ashford (2014)
Clare Greenough had been forced into service and had been a governess now for 9 years. One day a solicitor, Everett Billingsley, came to see her to tell her that she had inherited her grandfather's brother's money. There was only one catch...Simon her awful cousin who had inherited everything upon her brother's death which forced her and her mother to leave their home, was to be one of the trustees with Mr. Billingsley being the other.
Clare knew of Simon's greed but it was confirmed when Mr. Billingsley told her that her cousin had written to her great uncle saying he was watching over Clare and that he had argued that he should be left the money.
Clare was fully aware that with Simon in charge of what she could spend, she would get nothing of the money. Mr Billingsley told her that the trust would be dissolved upon her marriage. After thinking about it, she decided her only alternative was to find a husband who would sign an agreement that would allow her to have control over her own money.
James Boleigh, Seventh Baron Trehearth was another client of Everett Billingsley and was to the point of bankruptcy. Should Mr Billingsley introduce him to Miss Greenough?
Could he be the answer to Clare's troubles? Would he sign such an agreement and would he live up to the agreement if he did? What secrets did he have?
Jane Ashford lives up to her name as one of the premier Regency writers with this one. See the power of love evolve. Happy Reading!.


The Captain's Christmas Bride (Harlequin Historical, No 1261)
The Captain's Christmas Bride (Harlequin Historical, No 1261)
Author: Annie Burrows
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 7
Review Date: 4/24/2019


The Captain's Christmas Bride" by Annie Burrows (2015)
This is Lady Julia Whitney and Captain Alex Dunbar's story.
Lady Julia Whitney was in love with a young man named David. Her father was against the marriage so Julia decided she would have to stage a situation where she would be compromised and then her father would have to allow them to marry. She decided t would be during the masquerade ball. She saw David in his costume and grabbed his hand and led him to the orangery.
Being in his arms and all that passion was just what she wanted until her friend Marianne walked in on them. Unfortunately she was accompanied by David. If that was David over by the door, who was she embracing.
Captain Alex Dunbar was shocked to find that the woman he was lying with was not the actress he thought her to be but the young Lady of the house...Julia!
So much for best laid plans and just the beginning for Julia and Alex. Happy Reading! Reading Genie


Christmas Angel (Company of Rogues, Bk 3)
Christmas Angel (Company of Rogues, Bk 3)
Author: Jo Beverley
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 87
Review Date: 7/4/2017


This is Leander Knollis, Earl of Charrington and Judith Rossiter's story.
All the ladies in London were falling in love with Leander (Lee to his friends), so he escaped to Hartwell, Lucien, the Marguess of Arden's cottage in Surrey. He wanted to get married but didn't want the lady to fall in love with him. So Lucien's wife Beth decided to play matchmaker and tell him about the Weeping Widow. She was a lady who was still so much in love with her husband that she was still wearing black after two years. The lady in question, Judith Rossiter, was the wife of a poet who had written all his works about her. After seeing her, Lee decided this was the bride for him. She even came with two children..perfect!!!
I am going to leave the rest of the story up to you to read. I have to say that I loved this story and I think that I would probably have been one of those ladies in London who would have fallen in love with Leaner Knollis! A delightful story. Happy Reading!


Christmas Belle (Frazer, Bk 2) (Signet Regency Romance)
Christmas Belle (Frazer, Bk 2) (Signet Regency Romance)
Author: Mary Balogh
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.4/5 Stars.
 19
Review Date: 5/24/2022


"Christmas Belle" by Mary Balogh 1994
Mr. Jack Frazer, grandson of the Duke of Portland and Isabella de Vacheron's story.
Jack had been summoned by his grandmother to attend their Christmas celebration. Countess Isabelle de Vacheron, a famous actress, had been invited to spend Christmas at the Portland House and possibly give a presentation of her acting skills.
What nobody knew was that Isabelle had been Jack's mistress nine years ago.
What Jack found out when he arrived at the Portland House was that his grandmother had found him a bride.
Jack's actions irked me to no end. Misunderstandings abound. This is a page turner which had me finishing the book in one day. Happy Reading! The Reading Genie


A Christmas Kiss and Winter Wonderland
A Christmas Kiss and Winter Wonderland
Author: Elizabeth Mansfield
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 23
Review Date: 3/2/2016


The stories were delightful. She has truly captured the era. No sex but definitely romantic and fun. She uses some fun words such as my mother used such as 'flibbertigibbet'. She describes the holiday traditions and even put in the Snap Dragon song. Definitely a keeper and one you will want to re-read.


Cupboard Kisses
Cupboard Kisses
Author: Barbara Metzger
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 11
Review Date: 11/8/2011


I love Barbara Metzger's work and this book is one of her best. I picked it up at around 8 P.M and had to stay up until I finished. The book has humor as well as some drama. The story never seems to lose momentum. I always know I love a book when I hate to leave the characters.


A Dash of Scandal
A Dash of Scandal
Author: Amelia Grey
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 25
Review Date: 2/15/2023


"A Dash of Scandal" by Amelia Grey 2002
Reading a scandal Sheet was abhorrent to Millicent Blair, much less writing for one, but she found herself in that position in London during the Season.
Chandler, The Earl of Dunraven, wondered what in the world was this country girl, Miss Blair sneaking off to write? Mellicent was writing notes to herself on the back of her Dance Card.
Then you have the Mad Ton Thief thrown in who stole a Golden Raven from Chandler and the fun begins. Happy Reading! ReadingGenie


Devil in Tartan (Highland Grooms, Bk 4)
Devil in Tartan (Highland Grooms, Bk 4)
Author: Julia London
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 14
Review Date: 3/5/2018


"Devil in Tartan" by Julia London 2018 (Highland Grooms Series Book #4
I was really excited to see this was Aulay Mackenzie's story. If you have been reading The Highland Groom's Series, this book comes after "The Hard-Hearted Highlander". In that book Aulay, brother of Rabbie, was the love/infatuation object of Rabbie's fiancee, Avaline. Although Aulay was only being kind to her, Avaline thought he was in love with her.
After Rabbie was settled in married bliss, Captain Aulay Mackenzie set sail carrying goods to trade for an English agent. He was to sail to Amsterdam and then on to Cadiz. This was the Mackenzie clan's chance to change their future even if his father argued about the risk.
It wasn't too long after they had set sail when they spied a ship on fire. The ship flew a royal flag. Then they saw a smaller boat which had damage to it's main mast. Aulay decided to take a closer look. The smaller boat's blundering crew made all the crew of Aulay's ship, the Reulag Balhaire, laugh with glee. Then they saw a beautiful Lady waving a white flag. A smaller boat came over to the Reulag Balhaire and asked for help. Thinking the blundering crew could be no trouble and their ship was taking on water, Aulay decided to let them come over. He would take them to land. Aulay's men were so busy looking at the beautiful Lady they were not even armed when the other crew came over. They brought over the beautiful Lady and every sailor was enamored with her. She asked the Captain to come forward so she could thank him. Aulay was bedeviled. Seeing blood on her dress they were concerned and Beaty, Aulay's first mate, commented that it should be looked at. One of her men shouted it could turn to Gangrene. "Gangrene" she cried and lifted her skirt to see the cut. All Watched. "Can any of you see?" But before Aulay could answer, he was hit from behind and when he tried to get up she said " I am so verry sorry" and kicked her knee squarely into his jaw. The next thing Aulay knew he was gagged, tied and shacked to his desk in his cabin. He was felled not by the sea, but by a woman. How humiliating! He would see them all hang.
Lady Larson is really Lottie Livingstone trying to save her clan. Her father injured, a load of whisky to sell and now she has stolen Captain Mackenzie's ship. Will she be up to all of this responsibility. She tries to tell the Captain that she is only borrowing his ship.
Read on to see the story unfold. Happy Reading!


Double Deception (Signet Regency Romance)
Double Deception (Signet Regency Romance)
Author: Patricia Oliver
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 15
Review Date: 7/29/2017


"Double Deception" by Patricia Oliver August 1997
Athena fell in love with John Standish but his father would not approve of the marriage. Confident the father would change his mind, John and Athena were married. When John's father cut off his allowance, John joined the army to fight Napoleon. At this same time Athena's father remarried and his new wife didn't want Athena to live with them so Athena went with John to the Peninsula and while there had a little girl, Penelope. John was killed at Talavera and now she finds herself with a small pension living with her Aunt, Mrs Mary Easton in London.
Mrs. Easton and Athena received an invitation for Lady Hereford's alfresco breakfast at her home outside London beside the Thames. She really didn't want to go but did so to please her Aunt.
Athena felt like an ancient beside all the giggling innocents so she took herself off for a walk by the river hoping it would be cooler. As she stood by the river a swan trailed by a fleet of half grown cygnets came straight toward her hissing imperiously. She was saved by a young man (about 19 or 20) who carried a plate of delicacies. He told her food was the only thing to keep the beasts at bay.
Peregrine Steele, Viscount Fairmont, was the only son and heir to the Earl of St. Aubyn. After speaking to Athena and finding out she was the widow of one of England's heroes he became totally infatuated with Athena. He also came to love her daughter, Penny. He bought them clothes, took them for rides in the park and started begging Athena to marry him. He promised security and a future for her daughter so although he was so young she finally accepted. He wanted to get his father's permission and knew his father would love Athena as much as he did.
Sylvester Steele, Earl of Aubyn was not happy when Perry came with Mrs. Standish and her daughter telling him about his future bride and Sylvester called Athena a fortune hunter and tried to bribe her to leave Perry alone.
What does Sylvester do when Athena refuses his bribe and what can he do to discourage Athena from marrying Perry now? Him as a distraction? But does Sylvester learn to love Athena as much as Perry or More?
This is a another fun story so to all my friends and readers...Happy Reading!


The Duke She Wished For (Happily Ever After, Bk 1)
The Duke She Wished For (Happily Ever After, Bk 1)
Author: Ellie St. Clair
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 4/27/2019


"The Duke She Wished For"
Happy Ever After Book 1
by Ellie St. Clair (2017)
The cover is wonderful. This is a cinderella type story. Father dies. Stepmother makes her work in their hat shop and stepsister get treated like a queen. Everythng changes when Tabitha is commissioned to make several hats for the Duchess of Stowe. And then she is asked to protect the Duchess from some of the mean spirited ton members. The Duchess is coming out after her year of morning. Her son, Nicholas the duke is coming back from Paris and meets Tabitha at the ball. He is drawn to her openness and honesty but does not know who she really is. Fun Story. I was surprised though by the sex scene at the end. It seemed out of character for Tabitha to act that way. I enjoyed the story otherwise. Happy Reading! ReadingGenie


The Duke That I Marry (Spinster Heiresses, Bk 3)
The Duke That I Marry (Spinster Heiresses, Bk 3)
Author: Cathy Maxwell
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 22
Review Date: 9/5/2019


"The Duke That I Marry" by Cathy Maxwell Dec. 2018 (Spinster Heiresses Series #3)
Matthew Addison, the Duke of Camberly inherited the title after his brother died. He also inherited a bankrupted estate. So what was he to do? His grandmother found him an heiress so he met her, proposed to her and then headed for his estate in the country to figure out the full intent of his estate problems.
Miss Willa Deverly thought that the handsome Duke might fall in love with her but after being abandoned after the proposal, she wrote him that she was releasing him of his promise to marry her.
Well that shook him up a bit and he went back to London on his fastest horse to see if he could change her mind.
There is also a mystery involved with the estate and danger to himself and Willa.
I was actually quite pleased that this was such a fun story. I love the cover. Happy Reading! ReadingGenie


The Elusive Miss Ellison (Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace, Bk 1)
Review Date: 12/1/2017


"The Elusive Miss Ellison" by Carolyn Miller 2017
Debut novel Book One in Legacy of Grace Series
I picked this book off the library shelf because I loved the dress on the cover. I know that's not a good reason to read a book but I found Carolyn Miller's writing to be so very interesting. This is an inspirational historical novel.
Nicholas, the Earl of Hawkesbury has inherited his title after his brother had died. He returned to St Hampton Heath to get away from London and the match making mamas.
The first thing he did was to go to the Reverend at the local church and ask for forgiveness. When he was fifteen, he had egged his brother into racing a friend. His brother had traveled down the village road without care and ran down the vicar's wife who died because of the accident. The vicar's small daughter had witnessed it.
Lavinia, the vicar's daughter, sees Nicholas as the brother of the man who killed her mother.
Nicholas was intrigued by the elusive Miss Lavinia Ellison. She challenged him at every turn to look into his heart and learn to forgive himself. This brought him to find comfort in turning to the Lord.
Lavinia comes to the understanding that she too has to find strength to forgive and not judge Nicholas.
Secrets abound. The story goes to London. But can Nicholas and Lavinia's differences be too much to overcome? Will God give them the gift of Love?
I'd tell you more but that would spoil the story for you. This book is well worth reading. Happy reading!


Fool Me Twice (Rules for the Reckless, Bk 2)
Fool Me Twice (Rules for the Reckless, Bk 2)
Author: Meredith Duran
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 32
Review Date: 2/6/2019


"Fool Me Twice" by Meredith Duran (April 2014)

Olivia had to move quickly 'again' when her landlady told her about a man looking for her. She knew it had to be Mr. Moore, Bertram's man. But why was he trying to kill her? Should she take flight to the continent? No she would fight. She had stolen the Duke of Marwick's wife's letters from Elizabeth de Grey. Elizabeth was the sister-in-law to the Duke of Marwick. The letters implicated that the Duchess had cuckolded her husband and gave information about the Duke's dealings to her lovers. One letter also said he had a dossier on all these men which could ruin them. One of the men was Bertram.
She had a friend write a great reference for her and set off to the Duke's residence to apply for a position as a maid and to find information she needed to stop Bertram from bothering her again.
The Duke of Marwick's wife had died about six months ago and the Duke had gone into seclusion because of grief and despair after finding out his wife had not been faithful or honest with him. In fact all her letters show that she hated him. How could he be so deceived in her.
Olivia was ushered into the house and the butler who was desperate, hired her as the housekeeper. The house and staff were in total disarray. The duke was unresponsive expect to throw an empty liquor bottle at her. She needed to get him out of his rooms so she could search for the papers.
Does Oliva have to save the Duke in order for her to save herself? Great fun!!! Happy Reading! Reading Genie

Other books by Meredith Duran:
The Scandalous Summer
The Duke of Shadows
Bound by your Touch
Written on your Skin
Wicked Becomes You
A Lady's Lesson in Scandal
At Your Pleasure


The Governess's Secret Baby (Governess Tales, Bk 4) (Harlequin Historical, No 1309)
The Governess's Secret Baby (Governess Tales, Bk 4) (Harlequin Historical, No 1309)
Author: Janice Preston
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 2/15/2023


"The Governess's Secret Baby" by Janice Preston 2016 Book 4 of the Governess Tales
Grace had a baby girl while at school at the age of sixteen. Her teacher helped her find adoptive parents. When she was finished with school and ready to go out into the world, her teacher told her the name of the adoptive parents. Hoping to make sure her little girl was loved and cared for, she set out to find the adoptive parents of Clara but what she found was that the parents had died and Clara was the ward of the reclusive and fire scarred Nathaniel, Marquess of Ravenevell. Was he good to Clara? Grace had to make sure. This is Grace's story...Beauty and the Beast. Happy Reading..ReadingGenie


Hell of A Lady (Devilish Debutantes)
Hell of A Lady (Devilish Debutantes)
Author: Annabelle Anders
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 1/10/2020


"Hell of a Lady" by Annabelle Anders 2018
Devilish Debutantes #4
Last of the books in the Devilish Debutantes Series. It brings to conclusion the adventures of love of Cecily, Sophia, Emily and with this book Rhododendendron.
Justin White, now the Earl of Carlisle, had been attracted to Rhoda since they first met. Being a vicar at the time, and his cousin laying claim to her, he didn't persist in getting to know her better. Now everything has changed but there are complications. One, his new estate is bankrupt and two, there seems to be a wager on Rhoda at White's. It seems his cousin talked about his conquest of Rhoda before he died and now everyone was wagering on who would win her favors now. What a mess!
This book shows Justin to be of honorable character and shows that love for another means showing respect and caring. It shows that sex, although important in marriage, can be a good part of the relationship with a little self-control. Great story Annabelle! Happy Reading! ReadingGenie


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