Audiobook #Reivew: A Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy Book 2) by Deborah Harkness .@DebHarkness

Book Title: A Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy Book 2)
Author: Deborah Harkness |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher: Viking Adult
Genre: Paranormal Historical Fiction
Series/Standalone: Book 2
Format: Audiobook, Hardcover
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda

Audio Service: Penguin Audio via RTB App
Hours in Book: 25

Cost: $45.99

Pages: 834

How I got it: BEA 2012/ RTB App

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: July 10, 2012
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Synopsis:

Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.

Overall:
A great historical fiction that picked right up where the first book finished. The story was chuck full of historical figures as well as with historical facts.  I enjoyed seeing how she wove all the different threads of the characters and the time period together along with the future storylines.

Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda.
This is my first taste of Jennifer as a narrator and she is phenomenal. She manages to make the whole cast of characters unique and carry the story along without losing any of the different threads.  I loved how I could tell who the different characters were, including when she would switch languages and sing. Just amazing, she really brought the story alive.  Her voice was pleasing and her inflections really made the story fly by. I read at 1.5x speed and this helped to make the storytime go by faster. Even sped up Jenn's voice really hooked you. I didn't want to stop listening at all.

Story:
The story picks up right where the first book A Discovery of Witches  ended. I have to say for me this reading experience was phenomenal. Having seen the t.v. show (Review) and reading the book I have a clear picture of the two characters and even as it's lengthy due to including all the historical information it still flowed well and kept me hooked.  Seeing the characters as the people portrayed in the show helped to make this an easier book to digest as we get scant descriptions of the characters at times.

The narrator really was able to make this story flow and the characters come alive. From the get go we really got Diana's thoughts and motivations and I was totally excited with her about being back in history and her realizing it's one thing to read about history/ teach it and it's people it's another to interact with it. I loved the discussion of time and it's movements, as we saw the future where the impacts they were making and the changes being wrought because of them being in the past and at the same time we realize this had to happen for them to come together in the future.

I loved the interaction with historical characters and how the development of how they impacted Dianna and Matthew's life. It was interesting to see how and who knew about the existence of beings and how this created the world we live in now.

When reading the first book I kept saying how much Matthew was holding back from Diana and how that was going to come back to hurt her. And here in this story it really began to come out how much Matthew holds back from sharing with Diana & his family. It's especially telling when family members point out that Matthew has two moods and neither of them allow him to share with those around him. For him this was a journey about learning how his faith wasn't being truly enacted and how much his holding back hurts those around him. Diana for her part had to learn to blend the two halves of herself, the part that hadn't interacted with magic before but wants to learn everything and the part that still wanted nothing to do with magic, while here she was able to be free to be herself to be surrounded by those who knew and were accepting of magic, while trying to stay one step ahead of the beginning of the witch trials in Scotland.

This was a European history major's dream weaving of fact and fiction in a that created a great story. I loved the different journeys they had to go on and seeing the ripple effects in the future. The story shares the different timelines and as the action ramps up we see how the different timelines converge and how history is impacted and the future is changed.

I really loved the life they created while in the time period, the changes it brings to them as characters, the growth they both experience, and the knowledge of how this world works. I loved the little snippets of things that you know have to have an impact in the future then jumping to the future and seeing how it impacts the family then. There are so many good moments, especially when Matthew meets up with someone whom he thought he would never see again.  They went in thinking this was going to be a simple mission find the book, learn about her magic and come back but time and magic have their own rules and they begin to learn that when Diana meets a mentor who really brings it all home for them.

Matthew and his origin is told to Diana and they begin the hunt for the book that will tell them the origin of all creatures. I can't wait to see how the story completely unfolds as Diana learns more about herself and her magic, her history and the history of witches.  I highly recommend reading it in audiobook form while following along with the book.  I can't wait to see it all play out in the second season, the way everything is described it's going to be interesting to say the least.

 ★★★★1/2☆

Series In Order

1. A Discovery of Witches 
2. A Shadow of Night 
3. The Book Of Life

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Jewel (Grayson Family 2) by Beverly Jenkins .@authorMs.Bev

Book Title: Jewel (Grayson Family 2)
Author:  Beverly Jenkins|Website| Twitter| Facebook|
Publisher: AVON

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, African American Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 2
Format: ebook, Mass Market

Cost: $5.99

Pages: 394

How I got it: Traded Paperbackswap

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: April 29, 2008
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Synopsis:

A proposal she had no choice but to accept . . .

Though Eli Grayson is one of the most handsome, charming, and intelligent men in Grayson Grove, no one will take a chance on a confirmed bachelor. Unwilling to give up his dreams, Eli convinces his friend Jewel to pose as his wife. Their masquerade is to last just one night . . . but when word gets out, Eli and Jewel must tie the knot to save his career—and her reputation.

Became a love she never expected . . .

Angry at being forced to turn her life upside down, Jewel never imagined that a white-hot passion would consume her once she and Eli became husband and wife. Sharing a bed has turned their prim friendship into a sensuous love affair . . . but when a woman from Eli's past returns to stir up trouble, he and Jewel will learn just how far they'll go to protect the precious gem of their newfound passion. (less)

This is has been on my bookshelves for a while and I put it on my Top 19 for 2019 TBR list, and I'm so glad I pulled it to read.  I dived into this one right after reading Vivid (which I reviewed yesterday). I have been on a Beverly Jenkins binge and I can't even begin to explain how much fun I have been having. There is nothing like reading a romance with characters that look like you, talk like you and behave the way you behave, seeing yourself in the romances you read matters so much and I am loving it!!! Now Jewel's story is one of my favorite kinds of tropes, a friends to lovers story with a bit of twist due to their attempt at running a con on a business investor. Ohhh this is good.

Eli Grayson is the cousin/ best friend of Nate from the first book (Vivid) and he's been running a successful newspaper for the his town that had at it's height reached as far as Chicago with it's readers, however with the increased violence and the new Jim Crow laws being put into effect his efforts to educate the masses are being thwarted.  When he gets the opportunity to meet with a well known successful Black newspaper owner he's ecstatic until the owner lets him know he only works with married men. Eli is a well known bachelor, but he can't let such a good opportunity pass him by so he asks one of his best friends to pose as his wife for a private meeting and from there we get one hell of a story.

I loved Eli and Jewel together. They were so much fun especially because Jewel didn't know how to be anything but herself which she thought was nothing Eli would really be interested in. Like most of the women in town she's educated, smart, handy with a gun and determined to aide the race in anyway she can. She's part of the townswomen who are attending meeting to get the vote for women and as the men in town like to joke "working on taking over the world".  I absolutely loved her, confident and brash at times and shy and uncertain in some areas, Jewel was a complex woman who wanted more but was happy with the life she had. She's the only girl in a caravan full of men who are loving and overprotective so she thought she wasn't ever going to be married.

Eli on the surface seems like your typical playboy bachelor, and as we get to know him we discover he has deep regrets about his youth and the people he hurt then. He's living his life in a way to never hurt anyone again and when his scheme blows up and he realizes he could seriously hurt Jewel's reputation he stepped up to the plate and took responsibility.  Getting to know Eli and see his fears, and to see how much his past was affecting him, made him so real and relateable. Don't we all have things we regret and wish we could take back??

Together they try to make the situation ok and as they go along and Eli realizes Jewel could be the woman for him?? Lord listen, when Beverly writes these men determined to court the women?? She pulls out all the stops. Eli determined to court Jewel, is a man on a mission. I loved that when Jewel felt she would be unable to handle Eli because he knew so much more than she did, she went to the women she could trust and asked for help. Their romance was at times sweet and at the same time very erotic.

While I could sit here and gush about their romance, this story of course wasn't just about them. We had the past coming back in a bitter way intent on making mischief where there was no need for any. And like all things that should remain in the past, this one stirs up a whole heap of mess, which leads to a murder, and then a hunt for a killer hidden among the townspeople. We have other townspeople falling in love as well (someone who well deserves it), we get to see how Nate and Viv are doing. We of course get a bit of history lesson as well and just have a grand ole' time.

I read this in a day because I was so invested in the story. I needed to know what kind of high-jinks Eli and Jewel were going to get into. How this small lie to make his business successful again was going to shake out and what would happen as they try to make this marriage of convenience real.  I can't recommend this enough my loves. I loved this story. I talked back to this story; I was cussing out the villains, I freaked out in the last few chapters as everything came to a climax; I giggled with Jewel when she read the book ( you'll know what I mean when you get there). These are characters you fall in love with, root for and miss when you put the book down.

I'm hoping Beverly goes back to the town of Grayson Grove and lets us know about the brothers and their love stories.

 ★★★★★

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Breathless by Beverly Jenkins
• Tempest by Beverly Jenkins
• Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
• Ravished by Amanda Quick

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Vivid by Beverly Jenkins .@authorMsBev

Book Title: Vivid
Author:  Beverly Jenkins |Website| Twitter| Facebook| 

Publisher: AVON

Genre: Historical Romance, African American Romance
Series/Standalone:  Book 1
Format: ebook, mass market

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 400

How I got it: Borrowed from Library

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Jan 1995
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Synopsis:

It's 1786 and Dr.Viveca Lancaster is frustrated by the limits placed upon female physicians of color. When she is offered the chance to set up a practice in the small all Black community of Grayson Grove, Michigan she leaves her California home and heads east. The very determined Viveca is one of the few nineteenth century Black women to graduate from the prestigious Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania but she needs more than determination to face down handsome Nate Grayson, the Grove's bull-headed mayor.Nate Grayson goes to the train station expecting Dr. V. Lancaster to be a man. When the lovely dark-skinned Viveca introduces herself he is speechless, then wants her back on the train and out of his town. It's 1876 and women aren't supposed to be doctors, men are. However he isn't prepared for her stubbornness and fire, nor for the vivid way she heals, then steals his heart.

I am on a Ms Bev roll this month. What can I say the woman can write slump-busting books, ever since I read Vivid I have been on a reading blitz and I can't tell how much I have been enjoying it.  Let's get back to why we are here, the review of Vivid.  I have a list of books I want to read by the end of 2019 (It's my Top 19 Books I'm anticipating for 2019) and Jewel by Beverly is on it. When I went to read it I realized this read like a second book and sure enough Vivid came first.

I dived into this one knowing absolutely nothing but who the author was and of course she didn't disappoint.  Vivid was a quick fun read that also taught me so much about the history of black towns, black women physicians  & the importance of the black press during reconstruction while getting an awesome romance in.  Being a history fanatic I love reading Ms Bev's work just for the ways she interweaves the history of black people into the romance.

Like all her books, we got great conversations, witty banter, off the charts chemistry and well-developed characters that evolve as the story develops.  I loved that this story started with misunderstanding which led to them being in an adversary role which later developed into a friendship.  I loved that the need to prove herself made her a strong character, Vivid was hilarious and meant business and one of my favorites scenes will always be the hat scene in the very beginning. Nate's bullheadedness cost him a hat and a little bit of his pride but allowed the townspeople to see what Viv was made of.

I loved that as the story developed there was knowledge sprinkled throughout. I loved learning the history of post-civil War era and how it impacted the newly freed blacks.  People often forget this time in between; and go from the civil war to the civil rights movement as if the horrors of the times in between didn't' happen.

I enjoyed Viv's family ties and that they discuss Fred Douglass, but I wish she had mentioned Marcus Garvey (Updated 04/12/19 and this folks is why you should double check the dates in history before you embarrass yourself. As Ms Bev pointed out, she can't mention someone who isn't born yet 😧😳😳) and how the sister got to Liberia. I loved how close the family was and how the parents pushed their children to be more than society said they could be.  I loved the chemistry between Nate and Viv, and the different relationships she forms in town, especially with Nate's daughter.  Their bond was sweet to read especially because you know that Magic was probably starved for someone who understood her wildness the way Viv did.

The romance is a slow build from adversaries into friends and then BAM, hot mama the chemistry was off the charts.  I loved how they built up to their full relationship. another of my favorite scenes came when Viv was going to the big city and was bringing Magic and Nate tells their escort to make his excuses. I laughed reading that scene because I knew he was a goner then!!  I liked the glimpses of the town and the different people there. I can't wait to see more for the township and its people.  I can't wait to see if she goes back with stories about the younger children especially Magic. It would be interesting to read who she becomes.

Of course, this couldn't be a historical romance without some drama. The past comes back to haunt Nate bringing with it untold danger. Ignorance about women and their roles lead to a tragedy that haunts Viv and leads to danger in her life as well. The story of how they come together despite the craziness and how they create something beautiful is a reason to dive into this and not come up until you've finished.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Alyssa Cole The Loyal League Series

Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book #Review: The Luck of the Bride by Janna MacGregor .@JannaMacGregor #TheLuckOfTheBride #NetGalley

Book Title: The Luck of The Bride (The Canensham Heiress 3)
Author: Janna MacGregor Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Genre: Historical Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 3
Format: ebook, Mass Market

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 384

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
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Synopsis:

Family secrets, mistaken identities…love and money make people do crazy things in The Luck of the Bride, the third Cavensham Heiresses novel.

March Lawson has never had much luck, and in a desperate move to save her family, she's been posing as the Marquess of McCalpin. But when she's summoned to a meeting with the Marquess himself, March expects jail time…not to be bewitched by dark hair and sapphire eyes.

Michael Cavensham, the Marquess of McCalpin and heir to the Duke of Langham, finds himself drawn to March despite the judgments from his peers. He isn't sure he can trust March, especially since Michael has a secret that could ruin him and his family.

But society conspires to keep March and Michael apart, and when March is accused of not being who she says she is, will Michael toss her aside or fight for the woman he's come to love?

This was a very emotional read and I loved it. I so understood the struggle of the main female character and fell in love with both of them and their struggle to be who they needed to be for their families while finding who they wanted to be for themselves.  I absolutely loved the characters of the book, even though I didn't read the series in order of publication, you don't need to as the book is written in a way that you can read it without the knowledge from the other books.   Michael is a future Duke who is struggling with a major secret. March is one of his charges that the future Duke has regulated to his stewards to take care of and in so doing left her to fend for herself and her family.  March was doing her best to take care of her siblings, she's struggling and she comes up with an idea to be a little more successful to protect them and in doing so comes to the attention of Michael.

Some of my favorite characters in this book were Lord Bennet Lawson the youngest of the Lawson siblings and seriously the funniest as he attempts to fill in as Lord while still being a child who hasn't learned all there is to know about the job.  I loved how his letters helped to further the story, bring grace to his sister's struggle and also injected the much-needed humor into the story.  March is the second favorite character because she's loyal, loving and despite her plans going awry she still protects everyone she loves even if it means she's in pain herself.

One of my favorite scenes has to be March's trip to London, the different sights described to show the countryside, her journey from there to proper town was mirrored in her eventual journey financially and socially as well.  I loved that she loved her country home but realized that for her siblings to have the proper futures she needed to adapt and leave and she was willing to do so.  The author does a fantastic job making you feel as if you are apart of the world of the aristocracy, the dizzying journey from where they were to be the Belles of the ball and the fears that the journey brings. As I was reading I kept thinking about Downton Abbey and it's inhabitants; this felt like an episode of the show in a way that felt right at home and this made me love the story even more.

While this is a romance and the ending is almost guaranteed to be a happy ending the journey to get there is the part I read for and until the very last few pages, the author kept us right on the edge of the seat.  I was uncertain how it would end and I was freaking out as the pages flew by and the final confrontation didn't happen.  ahhhhhhhhh so nerve-wracking, and emotional.  I wanted to cry, sobbed a few times and anxiously read to get to the ending. There are several times I wanted to reach into the book and knock Michael in the head because he kept stumbling, he so desperately wanted to hang on to his secret that he was willing to believe the 'evidence' of March's betrayal and yet claimed to love her.  Ugh silly man, the biggest part of love is trust and if you don't trust her then you can't really love her like you claim.

There was a moment in March's home estate that Michael confronts her but because he's struggling with his secret he didn't look beyond the surface and March had communicated with him however due to a misunderstanding Michael missed the letter.  Those moments as they stood there hurting each other without really knowing the full scope of the others pain made me want to cry, poor March was unaware that he hadn't read the letter and he was too prideful to admit to wanting her for himself and they both just. Ugh the tears. I wanted to scream at him to go home and find the letter, and at the same time beg March to hold out hope.  It was just a roller coaster ride of emotions and even writing this now remembering that scene I'm getting a little misty-eyed.

I do definitely need to read the other stories in the series because the glimpses of the secondary characters were wonderful and they were such good friends to both Michael and March when they needed them.  Michael came from a great strong family and his parents really reminded me of Downton's family and I just absolutely loved the way they embraced the Lawson children.  I loved that they discussed how the secret was handled and when Michael finally owns it that it doesn't bring him to his knees like he thought it would. I would, however, like five minutes with his former nanny. I loved his brother and their relationship and I can't wait until we get his book, he's so fiercely loyal and loving, he certainly deserves a great story as well.  There were a few great discussions about the laws that affected so many and I just really loved how the book touched on so many things including how women couldn't handle their own money unless they were widows.

I highly recommend this story and I can't wait to get to the other books because I'm sure they're going to be good emotional reads as well.  It was fun, it was sweet, emotional with smart women and loving charismatic men.  Even the mystery that needed to be solved was complex in its reasoning. I just loved it.

 ★★★★★

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Tempest by Beverly Jenkins 

Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book #Review: Bella and the Beast (Cinderella Sisterhood #4) by Olivia Drake

Book Title: Bella & The Beast (A Cinderella Sisterhood Novel #4)
Author:  Olivia Drake |Website| Twitter| |

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Historical Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 4
Format: ebook, Mass Market

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 352

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |IndieBound
Publication Date: Nov 03, 2015
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Synopsis:

Even a confirmed bachelor can meet his match. Because sometimes fairy tales do come true...

OF ALL THE FABLED TREASURES
Bella Jones feels like a fish out of water in civilized England. Raised abroad by her explorer father, she's amused by the very proper manners of the nobility. Nevertheless, to save her younger siblings from ruin, she must infiltrate a ducal household in order to find the map to an ancient treasure trove. Alas, the haughty, handsome duke stands in her way...unless she can tame his beastly temper, that is.

THE MOST PRECIOUS ONE IS LOVE
Miles Grayson, the Duke of Aylwin, prefers antiquities to, well, everything else. Especially prying females with their irksome questions. But Bella's blue eyes and beguiling smile are improbably charming, and the temptation of her kiss is impossible to resist. As the pair is swept into a mystery that reaches back to their childhoods, Miles realizes that Bella has made the rarest discovery of all-the key to his heart... 2016 Finalist for Best Historical Romance: Long!

This was a fantastic beauty and the beast mixed with Cinderella retelling, even if the hero is a grave robber.  I thought the characters were put together well, I was intrigued the whole time and couldn't wait to see how it all came together.The main plot pivoted around the treasure map that these two characters are vying for and there was a greater mystery about what happened all those years ago in the desert.  The mystery complicated the loved story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

For me, the ending wasn't predictable (except the love story otherwise why would we be here??) because of the mystery of what happened all those years ago. Bella was too young to remember everything and Miles was left out of the full loop and is dealing with his guilt of what happened.  It was a pretty good ending even if the villain was kind of cliche which made it "ok" for the justice that he got. 

Some of my favorite parts of the book included the description of the ballroom and the library. I loved how the ballroom was covered in Egyptian artifacts and how all the relics were described.  His library sounded like my dream library.   I also loved that these two were trying to get to the same ending but had two different paths to get there. Based on the secrets they kept they were floundering around in the dark way more than they needed to.  My least favorite part also pivots off of the ballroom. I personally don't like the 'exploration" aspect of the grave robbing that took place. I also disliked that he and his family removed these things from their rightful place and he had no plans to share them with the rest of the world. 

Bella was a pretty unique character. I loved that she was so used to taking care of things and she wasn't one to be cowed des[pite how she was being treated by those who judged her based on her dress.  I also loved her siblings especially her brother who clearly thought he was supposed to be more of an adult than he truly was. I loved how they interacted as a family.  It would be nice if we got their stories int he future to see how it all turned out for them, trying to fit into 'polite society'. 

The POVs were good because it switched between them and gave us a chance to see their motivations and how they saw things so differently from each other.  The Cinderella similarities are all there especially in the beginning and the beauty and beast parts come later. I really enjoyed this rendition of these two classic stories. A quick fun read.  It doesn't read like a fourth book, which was great because I haven't read the first three yet. 

 ★★★1/2☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Atone by Jessica Grey

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Tempest (Old West #3) by Beverly Jenkins .@authorMsBev

Book Title: Tempest (Old West 3)
Author:  Beverly Jenkins|Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Avon Publishing
Genre: Historical Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Finale
Format: ebook, Mass Market

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 384

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Jan 30, 2018
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

From USA Today Bestselling Author Beverly Jenkins comes a new novel in a mesmerizing series set in the Old West, where an arranged marriage becomes a grand passion . . .

What kind of mail-order bride greets her intended with a bullet instead of a kiss? One like Regan Carmichael—an independent spirit equally at home in denims and dresses. Shooting Dr. Colton Lee in the shoulder is an honest error, but soon Regan wonders if her entire plan to marry a man she’s never met is a mistake. Colton, who buried his heart along with his first wife, insists he only wants someone to care for his daughter. Yet Regan is drawn to the unmistakable desire in his gaze.

Regan’s far from the docile bride Colton was expecting. Still, few women would brave the wilds of Wyoming Territory for an uncertain future with a widower and his child. The thought of having a bold, forthright woman like Regan in his life—and in his arms—begins to inspire a new dream. And despite his family’s disapproval and an unseen enemy, he’ll risk all to make this match a real union of body and soul.

This is the third & final installment from the Fontaine family and I'm sad to see them go.  This story was addictive, fantastic, realistic fun and funny. I loved how much history we get in all of Ms Bev's books.  This is Reagan's story, she's the youngest sister from the first book and despite how she was raised she's perhaps the most resilient. She doesn't cling to the past as hard as her sister does, she's happy with the life she's had with her Aunt and Uncle, she's, however, looking for a new adventure especially after she sees her sister fall in love, she wants some of her own.  She decides to be a mail-order bride and from there one heck of an adventure unfolds.

After Reagan gets the idea in her head of being a mail order bride, she ends up going to a whole new state leaving her family behind to meet Dr. Colt. He's a widower with a young child and certain ideas of what the ideal bride and mother should be. He's in for a treat because while Reagan is all of that especially on paper, she's a whole lot more, she's a woman who had helped to create the new west and she's not afraid of hard work.

As with all of Beverly's characters I absolutely loved Reagan. She was so vibrant and so matter of fact. I hollered when I read their meet-cute because no one was ever going to let the Doc forget that.  Reagan was such a lady, yet she needed to be more to survive in the West and she rose to the challenge. By being herself she helped a little girl who was afraid of her own shadow learn to live again.  I laughed a lot reading this story. Reagan's stepdaughter was just too adorable and made me fall in love with her.  I also felt Reagan's fear that this wasn't going to workout and I also felt her hope that it would.

I loved even the description of the town and the areas they were traveling through.  Within the story, we saw Reagan embracing change and finding herself a husband, Colt learning to let go of what he believed he needed to get what he truly wanted and need from a happy marriage.  Some of my favorite parts of the book was seeing how Reagan began to thrive away from the bosom of her family.  It was also interesting to read the story and realize that society still hasn't changed in how we treat women & the options many of them have when they are poor.

Like so many of Beverly's books, we don't just get an amazing love story we also get a bit of a history lesson, especially little-known history. First, this is a story about many of the small towns created by Blacks after the Civil War, we then learn the history of just how long the Chinese have been here int eh US and their parts int he history of the West.  I also learned where potato chips come from. And about several other members of the resistance to the Natives being moved to the reservations, I hadn't heard of the female warriors who fought and now I want to go learn all about them.

I would love a story from Reagan's sister in law Spring as I'm sure she has one heck of a story to share, what we saw was eventful enough that was just a few pages.  I loved the POV we got and how that helped to not just advance the story but help us understand how the events affected each character differently.

 ★★★★★

Books In Series

• Forbidden 
• Breathless

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Amanda Quick's Mistress or Ravished
• Springwater by Linda Lael Miller

I highly recommend for those are lovers of historical romance and want an adventure.  Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Breathless (Old West 2) by Beverly Jenkins .@authorMsBev

Book Title: Breathless (Old West 2)
Author:  Beverly Jenkins|Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Avon Publishing
Genre: Historical Romance

Series/Standalone: Book 2
Format: ebook, Mass Market 

Cost: $5.99

Pages: 384

How I got it: Purchased 

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: Jan 31, 2017
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

A strong-willed beauty finds herself in the arms of the handsome drifter from her past, in this second book in the sizzling series set in the Old West, from USA Today Bestselling Author Beverly Jenkins
As manager of one of the finest hotels in Arizona Territory, Portia Carmichael has respect and stability—qualities sorely missing from her harsh childhood. She refuses to jeopardize that by hitching herself to the wrong man. Suitors are plentiful, but none of them has ever looked quite as tempting as the family friend who just rode into town…and none has looked at her with such intensity and heat.

Duchess. That’s the nickname Kent Randolph gave Portia when she was a young girl. Now she’s a stunning, intelligent woman—and Kent has learned his share of hard lessons. After drifting through the West, he’s learned the value of a place to settle down, and in Portia’s arms he’s found that and more. But convincing her to trust him with her heart, not just her passion, will be the greatest challenge he’s known—and one he intends to win…

Even though this is the second book I actually read it last, I so wanted to read the third book and see her story that I skipped ahead, and I have no regrets. This is the story of the oldest child of Eddy's sister, Portia, this is years after the events in Forbidden. We do still see Rhine & Eddy as Portia and her sister still live with them.  I was glad to see that Beverly gave them a realistic ending in this one since we all know whites in this era wouldn't have taken to being treated that way by Rhine.

I went into this one already knowing how Reagan's story ends and also was given a bit of spoiler for this one (but nobody told me to read the series backwards so there is no blame right??) in this Portia and her family have built a successful business and while still being supported by Rhine's brother they have an outlet that other blacks at this time might not have had.  I loved the glimpses we have of the Black upper-class and of course the Suffrage movement that was taking place.

This is both a wonderful second chance romance and a coming to terms with who you are tale. Portia has repressed herself so that others would never link her to her mother's choices, she wants to be seen more like Eddy and her choices of living an upstanding life, even though no one in town knows her family history. Unlike Reagan who is able to embrace the present and the future with a spirit of adventure, Portia has everything planned out to the smallest detail, including the fact that according to her she's never going to get married. She also wants to ask her mother why she gave them up and wants to know what has happened to her.

Kent Rudolph comes from a more established family, his father was the Doctor in town and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps.  Kent has other ideas and after the night that he aided Rhine with his family, he drifted around learning how to be a man, when he realizes the drifter life was no longer for him he looked Rhine and his family up. He was surprised to see Duchess there and decided to be her friend while deciding if this town was where he could settle down.

From there we get the sweetest and funniest romance. With Portia learning what she really wants and not to hold back to Kent learning what forgiveness looks like.  In between, we get great family reunions, see history unfolding, get to read fun characters and be involved in a mystery.  As the story unfolds we get a bit of adventure for the girls, see Rhine and Eddy sharing their love and of course a bit of history lesson as always.

I loved everything about this romance.  I loved Portia's blooming into a woman she could be proud of, with Kent she didn't feel she would be repressed, and for that, she happily embraced the secret dreams she had including becoming her own business owner.  I loved her discussions and the love she had for both Eddy and Rhine. I loved her relationship with Reagan and how they motivated and held each other up.

Her romance with Kent was beautiful to read and he was such a wonderful and complicated man. He had his experiences and knew that they had shaped him into the man he was, he never apologized nor did he flaunt his background or his education. I really loved how he was with Portia.  I loved that he also had a journey with his past that he needed to take and boy did those scenes make me cry.

I highly recommend the story and the series.

★★★★★

Books In Series 

• Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Forbidden (Old West 1) by Beverly Jenkins .@AuthorMsBev

Book Title: Forbidden (Old West 1)
Author:  Beverly Jenkins |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Avon Romance
Genre: Historical Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: Mass Market

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 366

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
Publication Date: Jan 2016
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Synopsis:

USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins returns with the first book in a breathtaking new series set in the Old West

Rhine Fontaine is building the successful life he's always dreamed of—one that depends upon him passing for White. But for the first time in years, he wishes he could step out from behind the façade. The reason: Eddy Carmichael, the young woman he rescued in the desert. Outspoken, defiant, and beautiful, Eddy tempts Rhine in ways that could cost him everything . . . and the price seems worth paying.

Eddy owes her life to Rhine, but she won't risk her heart for him. As soon as she's saved enough money from her cooking, she'll leave this Nevada town and move to California. No matter how handsome he is, no matter how fiery the heat between them, Rhine will never be hers. Giving in for just one night might quench this longing. Or it might ignite an affair as reckless and irresistible as it is forbidden . . .

I didn't read the synopsis when going into this books, it's Beverly and that's all I needed to know.  I had just finished her book Bring on the Blessings and I was in some need for a historical and in I dived.  And I have no regrets.

When reading a Beverly novel come prepared to learn about African American history while enjoying a good tale.  In this one we meet Eddy who has a dream of opening her own restaurant one day, having busted her butt to do so she's heading for California where she hears that Blacks have it better than they do in the south, on her way to buy her ticket out of town she's robbed.  After another series of unfortunate events she ends us finding her way into a new town by trading her cooking skills with several families on the way to California.  When something nefarious happens and she's left to wander the wilderness alone, in comes Rhine to the rescue.

From there we get one heck of a story.  I really loved the discussion of the history of the town, a look at the local politics after the Civil War and how the political parties we now know were once different.  It's fascinating to read about the towns in the West that the former slaves settled into and helped to build, while learning about the different newspapers and ways in which they had to operate.  One of my favorite moments came when a bank teller refused Rhine service and he asked the manager if they segregated the money and he said no, then Rhine asked why they only had one black teller??

I loved how Rhine and Eddy grew to know each other. As a prominent member of society and a white passing man at that Rhine couldn't date or marry Eddy so when the chemistry between them begins to ignite she reminds him of that.  I loved that she knew her value and refused to be diminished, when it appeared he wasn't offering her a decent relationship she called him on it.  Determined that this was just a stop on her way to California, Eddy never the less begins to make connections and friends. She becomes the cook for the Bed and Breakfast in town and in the process really begins to make a name for herself.

I loved that all the characters were written well. I especially loved the twins and hope they make an appearance in further books.   It was wonderful that Rhine used his privilege as a white man to aide the fledgling Black community even allowing them the ability to gather and use his bar when other establishments wouldn't.  When Rhine makes the choice to pursue Eddy I knew that there would be consequences for those actions and read quickly but anxiously.

This book progressed quickly and challenged my understanding of the West post Civil War. I can't wait to read more about Eddy's nieces, from Rhine's sister and hopefully more from this town.  I loved the progression of their story and the groundwork it laid for the other books.  Eddy was a fantastic character to read because despite all the challenges she made something for herself to be proud of.  It should be interesting to see if that 'respectability' will aide her in helping her nieces recover from their childhood.

After Rhine's truth is shared it's funny to read the reactions of people who were willing just the day before to break bread and start businesses with him.  Of Course his former fiancee absolutely loses it and she is kind of justified, how would he have explained it if randomly one of his children had been born dark skinned ?? Genetics and mother nature are unpredictable at beast,  there would have been knowing that your children would have been white passing as well. This was clearly not a plan well though out.  While I understand her ire, it's funny to see the beginning of privilege being set as a precedent there.  And I'm glad Rhine thought ahead to be able to cut many of the more vocal racist off at the knees.

This was a fantastic read and I can't wait to move onto the others including his sister's book because that sounds like it's going to be one heck of a read.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

This time I don't have one, can you recommend some to me?? Any of the ones I can think of are by Beverly herself so that doesn't work.  Share down below my loves and I'll definitely pick them up. 
Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book #Review: The Bittersweet Bride by @VanessRiley

Book Title: The Bittersweet Bride (Advertisements for Love 1)
Author:  Vanessa Riley |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Entangled Amara
Genre: Historical Romance, Interracial Romance
Series/Standalone:  Series, Book 1
Format: ebook

Cost: $3.99

Pages: 200

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Entangled Publishing
Publication Date: Jan 29, 2018
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Widow Theodosia Cecil needs a husband to help protect her son. The former flower seller turned estate owner posts an ad in the newspaper, and no one is more surprised than she when her first love, the man she thought dead, reappears.

Ewan Fitzwilliam has been at war for six years. Now, the second son of a powerful earl is back but his beloved Theo needs a husband and will not consider him. She believes Ewan left her—in desperate straits—so she denies the feelings she still harbors for the handsome, scarred soldier. Theo and playwright Ewan must overcome bitter lies and vengeful actions that ruined their youthful affair. Theo must reveal her deepest secret in order to reclaim the love that has long been denied.

I snagged this one simply because it was mentioned by a favorite author on twitter, once I got it approved I jumped in.  I had just finished reading a historical romance by Beverly Jenkins and was looking forward to another and this was perfectly right up my alley.

Going in I never read the synopsis especially if a fave recommends it.  I found that I needed to put this book down and give myself complete time and attention in getting this book established on my reading schedule. I normally read ebooks during the day at work and during travel and save my physical books for being at home, there was so much going on that I needed to wait until I finished everything else and could devote time to it.

The beginning of this novel is a bit of an information dumb as it needs to establish the story and the time period for you, once it's established this novel actually flew by.  It's full of angst, people being prideful and stubborn and everything that makes a regency romance the fun read that it is.  I loved that this romance was a second chance romance, I guessed what her secret was pretty early on and knew what her motivation was, Ewan?? That boy worked my last nerve, he couldn't see past his pain and never once considered how things could have gone for her once he wasn't around.

Ewan is a good guy who is a bit selfish, he hasn't quite grown up yet despite having been apart of the military and having a close to death experience.  Like most men of that time period he had a major double standard and I wasn't really ok with the way he talked to the woman he claimed to love.  More than once his brother had to challenge his views before he would begin to wonder if the rumors were just that vicious rumors especially when you considered the sources.  I loved that the author showed the complicity and viciousness of some of the women in this era even as they wanted to be protected they threw other women under the bus, even when they could have aided them.

Theo carried a lot of guilt because she wanted to be a respectable woman but she's black and her pedigree didn't allow her the same kind of respect,she clung to the past as a way to make sure she never repeated those mistakes again.  While I understand that even her friends could tell that she wasn't as happy as she claimed to be.

I loved that this was a complex story line that dealt with forgiveness and learning to stand on one's own.  This demanded that the characters challenge their perspectives of their peers and themselves, while learning to navigate the world as the other did.  Theo's experience made it hard for her to trust especially in such an openly hostile environment where they were happy to eat her food but still looked down on her because she was black. She also wasn't alone anymore her actions could hurt her husband's heir and this made her extremely cautious, she feared failing him and disappointing the man who loved her enough to take on society's scorn.

I loved the way in which Theo challenged Ewan, he wanted everything to go back to the way it was and was willing to 'forgive' her for moving on when he most certainly didn't wait for her either.  I found myself googling about places and the names people were called especially after the theatre manager made his comment,and like a really good book not only did I enjoy the story but I also learned something.

While I did enjoy this one, I felt it took too long to get to them reconciling, most of the obstacles where self created and each time one got taken care of another was placed in the way.  I also felt as if at times we didn't get much on the characters' friends and family, they were simply tossed in the scene without much background given.  There was a whole lot going on and every once in a while I felt a little lost on who was who and what was happening.

Overall once the story got started it moved pretty quickly, with secrets being revealed and everyone being left to find out they were supposed to be after it's reveal.  I loved the friends and Ewan's brother Jasper and can't wait to find out if one of the friends ends up as his partner.  Very interesting read, I learned a bit more about the Regency era and Blackmoors. I can't wait to see what happens to the other girls.  It will be interesting to see if we get glimpses of Theo and Ewan even any future children and how that is affected by the world they live in.

 ★★★1/2☆☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins

Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book Review: Lord Of Night by Erica Ridley .@EricaRidley

Book Title: Lord Of Night (Rogues To Riches Book 3)
Author:  Erica Ridley |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: WebMotion
Genre: Historical Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 3
Format: ebook

Cost: $4.99

Pages: 350

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |IndieBound
Publication Date: July 22, 2017
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Unlike proper debutantes, Miss Dahlia Grenville is secretly Robin Hood in a bonnet. Her home for wayward girls has too many dependents and not enough donations. But just as she’s about to pull off the heist of the Season, she tumbles straight into the arms of the handsome detective who has sworn to deliver Mayfair’s mysterious thief straight to the gallows.

Highly principled Bow Street runner Simon Spaulding’s world is black and white. There’s no mastermind too clever, no criminal alive who can escape the hangman. Until he realizes the delightful young lady he’s been courting is a liar and a thief. Suddenly, his career—and his heart—are in peril. How can he bring her to justice when it means losing her forever?

This one ended really quickly, I wanted so much more from this one.  It was a great read.  I really enjoyed the push and pull of the characters and what they believed to be true.  The story can be read as a single story, as the previous books and characters only make a small appearance and their story lines are summed up really quickly.

I loved when Dahlia realized that losing her stance in Society meant losing a way to protect her girls. Way too often the authors write the women as 'independent' women, however they are pivoting on their father's money or Society's good grace, like you can't be independent if you have no social standing.  I loved that she questioned how Society worked and how shallow so many of her contemporaries were, but at the same time realized that she needed society even though she knew it was flawed.  In this she really reminded me of Mary from Downton Abbey. 

Simon was seeking the Thief of Mayfair and he wasn't trying to see beyond saving the city and doing his job due to his past.  His life was small and he didn't realize that living so small did him a greater injustice than having a life would have.  He had tried so hard to not be like his father and even was jealous of his half brother and he never gave thought to how his half brother might have felt about him.  From his point of view things should have been black and white but once he realized people were complex and feelings made things more so.  It was so interesting to see how he bloomed from knowing Dahlia and the girls. How just a few small conversations made him really think and look forward to more than just doing his work, it even made his work life worth looking forward to.

Dahlia's mission was so sweet and I couldn't understand why more weren't trying to aide her.  I loved her sister and her friends and I can't wait to see if we get more from them.  I'm definitely getting the first few books in the series. I'm especially interested in seeing what happens to Faith. 

I really loved the back and forth between them and ho witty their conversations were together.  I really enjoyed how the author made me feel like I as back with Downton Abbey especially with the story line of the chauffeur and the middle sister. 

 ★★★1/2☆☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
• Amanda Quick Novels

Happy Reading my loves,