Today’s Steals and Deals at AAR…..

Caz raved about Lorraine Heath’s The Earl Takes All. In her DIK review she wrote:

Edward Alcott, younger – by an hour – twin brother of Albert, the Earl of Greyling, was introduced to readers in the previous book as a bit of a scoundrel. Although physically identical to his brother, Edward is completely different in temperament, and while it’s clear they share a strong bond of affection, it’s also clear that Albert is perhaps a little disappointed in his scapegrace brother. The biggest bone of contention between them, however, is that Edward just can’t get on with Albert’s wife, Julia, and in fact, makes a point of being unpleasant or outrageous whenever she is around.

But now, Albert is dead, killed while he, Edward and their close friend Viscount Locksley are in Africa on safari. With his dying breath, Albert exhorts Edward to “be me” – needing him to take care of Julia, who is expecting their baby. But he asks more than that Edward should provide financially for his widow – Albert wants his brother to take his place as Julia’s husband, believing that news of his death could cause her to lose the baby they both want so desperately. Edward can do nothing other than agree, and after a long and arduous journey, he arrives back in England ready to carry out his brother’s final wishes until after his child is born.

It’s not long before Edward realises the enormity of the task he has taken on. Not only does he have to take great care not to give himself away, which is difficult because he doesn’t know all that much about his brother’s relationship with Julia; he also has to take on the responsibilities of an earldom, which turn out to be far more detailed and numerous than he expected. Complicating things still further, Edward also has to contend with his long-banked desire for Julia and with Julia’s bewilderment at her husband’s strange reluctance to get physically or emotionally close to her.

Edward’s intention has always been to tell Julia the truth after the birth of her baby, but as time progresses and he comes to know the witty, generous and sensual woman that she really is, he finds himself racing well past desire and headlong into love with her. When she discovers the truth, she’s going to despise him more than she ever did – but what if he doesn’t tell her?

For her part, Julia has discovered things she never knew about herself during her husband’s four month absence. She missed him dreadfully of course, but also liked having her own space and being able to do what she liked when she liked. She feels she has changed somewhat since he has been away and learned to relish her independence, but Albert has changed, too. She puts some of that down to his mourning for his brother, and suggests that perhaps they have to learn how to be a couple again. Even so, there is more to the changes in her husband than those wrought by grief; he is more daring, more spontaneous, his kisses are more intoxicating than ever, and incredibly, she finds herself even more deeply in love than before.

While I loved The Earl Takes All, I can see that it might be the sort of book that readers will react to strongly and will either love or hate. The fact that the hero spends half the book deceiving the heroine is difficult to get to grips with, even though Edward’s motivations are understandable and he continually questions his decisions. He is torn between duty and desire and while the situation he is in is certainly an unusual one, his emotions and inner conflict feel very real. I understand why some might find the initial premise problematic, and indeed, Lorraine Heath set herself quite the challenge. As she says in her author’s note, she had to make sure that readers didn’t fall in love with Albert before she killed him off; and also, she had to contend with the English marriage laws at the time, which did not allow a woman to marry her late husband’s brother. (This law wasn’t changed until 1921). She also has to convincingly turn Edward from the reprobate we met in the previous book into a responsible and compassionate man. Before, he was given to hard drinking, gambling and womanizing, and his relationship with Julia was a very difficult one; he seemed to resent her for taking his brother away from him, and made no bones about showing that resentment. But even then, Ms Heath managed to convey the sense that here was a man who wasn’t quite what he seemed, and also to plant the idea that there was more behind Edward’s dislike of his brother’s wife than he let on.

What she does very skilfully here is to show readers the real Edward while not making him into an entirely different person. The old, roguish Edward is still there under the surface, but the ‘new’ Edward is a man who has never been tested before who rises to the challenge and discovers he’s more than up to it; and he is ultimately revealed to be a truly swoonworthy hero.

 

You can get it for 1.99 here.


Maya Rodale writes very very smart historical romances. We gave Some Like It Scandalous a DIK–you can read our review here. Shannon wrote:

Some Like it Scandalous is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance, filled with all the sparkling wit and sizzling chemistry a romance reader could ask for.

Daisy Swan is on the verge of being declared firmly on the shelf by New York society, but contrary to popular opinion, she’s not at all bothered by her lack of a serious suitor. Instead, she looks forward to devoting her time to the study of chemistry, which has been her great passion for the past several years. She has dreams of one day developing a line of cosmetics for respectable women, so there’s simply no room for marriage in her plans. But when her father loses the family fortune through some rather shady investments, Daisy’s mother informs her that she must marry, and to make matters worse, the man she is to wed is none other than Theodore Prescott, the man Daisy has sworn to hate for the past twelve years.

Theo is no stranger to scandal. As the eldest son of a steel magnate, he’s managed to flit from one exploit to another with very little thought to the consequences of his abominable behavior, but now, he’s taken things just a bit too far. It seems he was caught riding a stolen racehorse, and his father has finally had enough. The elder Mr. Prescott has decided that his son needs a wife to help keep him in line, and he’s decided that Daisy is the perfect candidate.

When they were children, Theo mocked Daisy horribly, which resulted in her becoming somewhat of a social outcast. Since then, the two have done their best to avoid one another, so they’re stunned and more than a little dismayed at the prospect of being forced into marriage, but neither of them is sure how to get out of it. They agree to pretend to be engaged while they come up with a foolproof plan to call off the wedding without doing irreparable harm to Daisy’s reputation.

I was fully prepared to dislike Theo. He treated Daisy badly when they were children, and I wasn’t sure Ms. Rodale would be able to redeem him, but my fears were totally unfounded. He doesn’t change into a warm, caring man overnight, but he does grow quite a bit over the course of the novel. I loved his willingness to own his mistakes and his attempts to become a better person. He doesn’t always get it right, but the strides he makes felt completely authentic to me.

Daisy is an utter delight. She’s smart and driven to succeed, character traits that set her apart from most other high society ladies. She knows what she wants, and she’s determined to do whatever she has to in order to achieve her dreams. I was drawn to her right from the start of the novel, and as things progressed and I became aware of her vulnerabilities, I found myself liking her even more.

You can get it at Amazon for 1.99 here.


Virginia Heath’s His Mistletoe Wager also got a DIK from us. In our straight A review, Sara wrote:

Virginia Heath’s winning streak of rich, thoughtful romances continues with her latest release, His Mistletoe Wager.  This holiday story is an early gift for readers and the season’s joy fills every moment as a young woman’s damaged heart is healed by the kind of man she swore never to trust again.

It was very easy for Lady Elizabeth Wilding to fall in love with the handsome Lord Rainham.  Despite the rumors of his rakish ways, Lizzie was charmed when he told her his heart beat only for her as well as by his attentions at each dance and his playful way of stealing kisses.  Their wedding day is planned down to the smallest detail and will hopefully be the envy of her peers.  It is also to be the day that Lizzie shares the wonderful news that their family of two will soon become three.  Unfortunately Lizzie’s dream of becoming a wife is crushed when her groom never arrives at the church.

Five years later, Lizzie has sworn off marriage and closed off her heart.  Her love is saved for her young son, George, who has been raised out of public sight in her father’s house.  Lizzie knows isolating George forever is impossible and she’s made plans to leave London behind and begin anew in Yorkshire as a widow raising her child alone.  She’s been reluctant to reveal her plans to her father who protected her from the fallout of Rainham’s abandonment and who still hopes that Lizzie will marry.  Lizzie has been patient with her father’s matchmaking while she put her plans together, but with her home in Yorkshire all set-up, this Christmas season will be her last in London. All she needs to do now is attend the high profile functions in town, dance with a few of her father’s acquaintances and then quietly disappear forever.  She doesn’t expect to be swept off her feet by another scandalous gentleman.

Lord Henry Stuart – Hal to his friends – has been dreading the Christmas season and the gatherings he’ll have to attend in his role as the new Earl of Redbridge.  In years past, Hal could make a quick exit from an event to gamble at one of his clubs or spend the evening with whichever willing woman caught his eye, but lately those vices haven’t had the same appeal.  Most of his shocking behavior was to provoke his father or to act contrary to the autocratic values the late Earl held dear.  Now, having held the title himself for a year, Hal has discovered an appreciation for his responsibilities and his love of his old pastimes has palled.  Hiding outside during a St. Nicholas’s Day ball, Hal is contemplating his lost libido when his brother-in-law, Viscount Ardleigh (hero of Her Enemy at the Altar), finds him.  The pair have always been close and Hal is fairly candid about how uninterested he is in women looking at him either as a marriage commodity or a passionate thrill for a night.

Ardleigh is certain Hal just misses the challenge of seducing a woman who isn’t throwing herself at him and he offers Hal a wager to get his blood racing.  Using a sprig of mistletoe and its berries to count down the stakes, Hal must steal five kisses from a woman of Ardleigh’s choice before Twelfth Night.  Hal agrees to the Mistletoe Wager without really thinking about whom he might have to kiss.  He doesn’t count on Ardleigh picking the only woman at the ball that has no interest in any man who crosses her path: Lady Elizabeth Wilding.  Seeing her sitting alone in a hidden part of the ballroom, Hal strikes up a conversation by stating clearly that he’s not interested in her.  His blunt talk intrigues Lizzie enough to continue their discussion rather than brush off the impertinent man.  Hal senses that Lizzie is listening to him and finds they have a similar desire to keep their admirers from getting too close.  Inspired with a way to get past her coolness, Hal suggests they help each other by pretending to be a courting couple during the Christmas season.

Lizzie is shocked by Hal’s idea and immediately declines, but when the irksome Lord Ockendon begins to show an interest in in her she rethinks the plan.  Finding Hal a day later, Lizzie informs him that she’s willing to play the smitten woman until the evening of his own Twelfth Night ball.  To Hal that’s all the time he’ll need but as he gets to know Lizzie he finds that his plans to seduce her take a back seat to enjoying their time together.  When Lord Ockendon presses his suit and uncovers a way to manipulate Lizzie into marriage, Hal’s protective nature overrides his need to win a wager.  Instead it becomes his mission to show Lizzie that there are still honorable men in the world who care for a woman’s welfare above their own selfish desires.

You can purchase it at Amazon for 1.99 here.


You may have heard about the Bridgertons? ;) Well, in order for those TV luminaries to exist, there had to be Rokesbys falling in love and procreating. Our reviewers gave The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband a B+. We wrote:

Cecilia wrote to her beloved brother Thomas as often as the mail between her home in Derbyshire and his posting in the American colonies would allow.  When rebellion broke out in 1776, Cecilia was glad to hear how her brother and his fellow officers were faring against the upstart colonists.  As the war continued and Thomas remained far away from England, Cecilia’s letters became a glimpse of home for him that he willingly shared with his closest friend Edward Rokesby.  Little by little, Edward became a third party in their correspondence and Cecilia used to write to her brother’s friend almost like she knew the man personally.  It was easy to share a part of her soul with someone almost a world away because the chances of ever meeting Edward were slim.

When a letter from Thomas’ commander arrives saying he’s been injured in the line of duty it spurs Cecilia into action.  The recent death of their father and a slimy cousin sniffing around the property had already made her uncomfortable staying alone at her estate, but the possibility of her brother being hurt and alone in America is too much to bear.  On her own, she travels to New York to find the hospital where Thomas is, hoping she will arrive in time to care for him.  Unfortunately, the army can find no record of Thomas being wounded but Cecilia learns that Edward Rokesby has just been admitted with severe injuries of his own.  Needing to find a way to be useful, Cecilia tries to get into the hospital to help Edward but the army will not allow a civilian into a military building, especially one with no ties to the officer.  Angry at being dismissed a second time Cecilia makes the rash declaration that she is Edward’s wife.  With Edward in a coma there is no one to call her bluff and Cecilia finds herself caring for a virtual stranger.

A week after he was found unconscious on the shores of Kip’s Bay, Edward slowly comes out of his coma confused by the conversation he overhears.  A man and a woman seem to be talking about him but the man keeps referring to the woman as “Mrs. Rokesby.”  That wouldn’t be his mother and none of his brothers is married, so who could this mysterious woman be?  Opening his eyes, Edward comes face to face with a person who seems familiar; she looks a little like the miniature of Thomas’ sister Cecilia Harcourt with a few subtle differences.  Speaking for the first time Edward, correctly identifies the woman as Cecilia but unfortunately that’s about all that he can remember.  Due to his injuries Edward has forgotten everything that has happened to him for two whole months.  It’s almost impossible for him to imagine himself married; however his superior officer is treating Cecilia like she’s his wife and he did have some affection for Thomas’ sister because of the notes they’d been exchanging.  If their marriage is one of the events he’s forgotten it is imperative for Edward to start piecing his memories back together.

Edward’s recovery is slow, but having Cecilia at his side gives him an incentive to get better.  She provides him with a sense of home as well as something precious that he can protect and care for.  Their shared concern for Thomas brings them closer and soon Edward is ready to accept that he truly is married to the incredible woman who braved so much on her own to protect her family.  For Cecilia, the guilt of lying to Edward gets worse the more she comes to know and love him.  The weight of his name and position helps her get closer towards finding the truth about her brother’s disappearance but it also puts her heart at risk.  She knows Edward will be furious to learn their marriage is a pretense; however the more their relationship becomes real for the two of them the harder it is for Cecilia to reveal everything to the honorable man she wishes were her husband in truth.

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband is chock full of the tropes I adore.  Some may cringe at amnesia being a catalyst to the main characters coming together, but it’s a useful device which enables the author to strip both principals down to the basics.  Without his memory, Edward has to trust Cecilia and let himself be vulnerable.   He feels safe revealing his fears for his friend’s wellbeing and discovers that while he may never have seriously thought about marriage it’s something he enjoys because Cecilia is right for him.  Cecilia is conflicted about using Edward’s amnesia to her advantage, but she, too, finds that being “married” to him is unexpectedly wonderful. On paper Edward is just the charming rogue whom she could picture as anyone.  The real Edward surpasses her imaginings not only in looks but through his cleverness and the way he makes her feel safe.  As ironic as it sounds, without his amnesia there might never have been a way for them to truly get to know each other.

It’s on sale for 2.99 at Amazon here.


 

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