Seven Minutes in Heaven (Desperate Duchesses #9) by Eloisa James

Blurb

All of Eugenia Snowe’s problems start when Edward Reeve, an arrogant bastard son of an earl, bursts into her registry office. He wants a governess and he wants her. She gives him the governess he demands, but she refuses to give herself.

No question that Eugenia enjoys crossing wits with the brilliant inventor, but she will never tarnish her reputation with an affaire, particularly with a man who doesn’t realize she’s a lady!

She holds her ground…until he kidnaps her.

Ward will stop at nothing to convince Eugenia that they’re meant to be together. He promises her heaven.

She gives him seven minutes.

Seven Minutes in Heaven is the 9th book in Eloisa James’ Desperate Duchesses series (Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers #3) and, at times, had me laughing so hard I was in tears. Reading this also had me sighing, tsking, and falling in love with Edward Reeve and Eugenia Snowe, and cheering for their happily ever after.

I just love the way Ms. James’ brings her characters to life, making me love them for all the things they are, and all the things they are not. They are flawed, they are quirky and, sometimes, haven’t the judgment of a gnat… and I love them all the more for it.

Brava! An absolutely delightfully entertaining story!

An ARC was provided by Avon Books. In appreciation I’m giving them an honest review.

Purchase Seven Minutes in Heaven on Amazon by clicking here

Storming the Castle (Fairy Tales 1.5) by Eloisa James

Blurb...

What Miss Phillipa Damson needs is a good, old fashioned knight in shining armor. What she has is a fiance she never wanted and a compelling urge to run away. But if she manages to escape, will she find her happily ever after?

Storming the Castle was such a sweet, funny, touching, steamy, romantic story, and I’m so glad I read it! I had grown very fond of Wick in A Kiss at Midnight, and while this story was definitely too short, I was happy to see him in action again.

And as we had in A Kiss at Midnight, we get another very strong, enjoyable heroine in Phillipa, who knew her own mind and wasn’t afraid to do whatever necessary to live her life on her own terms. Together, she and Wick made a very charming, sexy couple who were both so deserving of their own happily ever after.

It was such a treat getting to revisit Kate and Gabriel, and of course Great Aunt Sophonisba whose most brilliant scenes were those she spent well into her cups. I must say, however, I was saddened that there wasn’t a single reference to the rats, Caesar, Freddie and Coco!

I can’t wait to see what Ms. James has in store for us in the next installment of the Happily Ever Afters series, When Beauty Tamed the Beast.

Purchase Storming the Castle by Eloisa James at Amazon

Four Nights with the Duke (Desperate Duchesses #8) by Eloisa James

I'll be honest, while I love this story, Vander and the absolutely amazingly wonderful Charlie made this a favorite! I enjoyed Mia, but it's our two leading men who stole the show!

Blurb

As a young girl, Emilia Gwendolyn Carrington told the annoying future Duke of Pindar that she would marry any man in the world before him—so years later she is horrified to realize that she has nowhere else to turn.

Evander Septimus Brody has his own reasons for agreeing to Mia's audacious proposal, but there's one thing he won't give his inconvenient wife: himself.

Instead, he offers Mia a devil's bargain...he will spend four nights a year with her. Four nights, and nothing more. And those only when she begs for them.

Which Mia will never do.

Now Vander faces the most crucial challenge of his life: he must seduce his own wife in order to win her heart—and no matter what it takes, this is the one battle he can't afford to lose

My thoughts...

I adore Historical Romances because I find it hysterical when the women of the era are trying to live within the boundaries "polite" society has set for them, all the while trying to live their lives the way they want to - by being themselves. Four Nights With the Duke is just such a story, and even though there were times I wanted to strangle Mia, I also loved her for her determination to get what she wanted.

Vander's struggle to understand - and cope with - his own feelings toward Mia was fun reading. He's not inclined to operate within societies rules, either, but those rules are not the same for men as they are for women, and create an entirely different set of...obstacles. And watching Vander with Charlie was heartwarming! And funny! Charlie is an absolute hoot and he needs his own story one day.

The bottom line...

Four Nights With the Duke had me sighing, laughing, and even almost shedding some tears. It's steamy, entertaining and, even now, months after reading it, has me smiling as I write this review. Can't ask for more than that!

An ARC was provided by Avon Books via Edelweiss. In appreciation I'm giving them an honest thoughts.

   

The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James

The Duke is Mine is the third in Eloisa James’ Fairy Tales series, re-tellings of the classic fairy tales we grew up with. I absolutely adore this series and am sorry I waited so long to read this “Princess and the Pea” installment.

Blurb 

He is a duke in search of a perfect bride.

She is a lady—but a long way from perfect.

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can't he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear.

Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion…Until, in his darkest hour, Quin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love.

To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul…

Unless it's already too late.

*****

The Duke is Mine is the third in Eloisa James’ Fairy Tales series, re-tellings of the classic fairy tales we grew up with. I absolutely adore this series and am sorry I waited so long to read this “Princess and the Pea” installment.

Eloisa James is one of my favorite Historical Romance authors. Her stories are always clever, funny, romantic, passionate, and sometimes they’re even poignant. This is one of those times. There were moments I was nearly brought to tears, though explaining why would give away too much.

And again, I can’t go into it too deeply, but there were things I wish had happened differently, things that would have made this a 5 star read for me. I know that given the times, the attitudes and expectations of London’s aristocracy, certain things would have happened and been acceptable. Certain circumstances, certain words, certain… well… events. To be honest, there were a couple of things that didn’t set well with me. But could they have been written differently, in a less heartbreaking way? The truth is, I don’t know. I’m just not creative enough to be able to lay it all out in a plot that wouldn’t have broken my heart the way parts of this story did.

The bottom line…

I truly do enjoy Ms. James’ writing and, when it’s all said and done, I fell hard for Olivia and Quin and their happily ever after. I hope there will be many more stories to come.

Three Weeks With Lady X by Eloisa James

Description...

Having made a fortune, Thorn Dautry, the powerful bastard son of a duke, decides that he needs a wife. But to marry a lady, Thorn must acquire a gleaming, civilized façade, the specialty of Lady Xenobia India.

Exquisite, head-strong, and independent, India vows to make Thorn marriageable in just three weeks.

But neither Thorn nor India anticipate the forbidden passion that explodes between them.

Thorn will stop at nothing to make India his. Failure is not an option. 

But there is only one thing that will make India his—the one thing Thorn can't afford to lose...

His fierce and lawless heart.

***** 

My review….. Three Weeks With Lady X is such a charming, witty, sexy story. The way it all unfolds grabbed me from the first pages and held on to the very last. Lady Xenobia India is the perfect example of my favorite heroines. A strong, independent free thinker, she's the furthest thing from a Wallflower the ton has ever seen. She's a beautiful woman and had many opportunities to marry, but didn't want a conventional arrangement. She's worked hard to fund her own dowry so that she could choose her own husband, and this alone made me love her! Thorn Dautry, the hero of this story, is Tobias, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Villiers. There was something so powerful about him, and yet so vulnerable, too. Being labeled a bastard, even though his father found and claimed all his bastard children, was something Thorn had to live with. But it was refreshing to see how he handled it all... not accepting and assuming his role as a lesser member of society, but making himself into a force to be reckoned with, in his own rights. This alone made me adore him and hope for the kind of happily ever after only the most amazing of heroes is worthy of. The bottom line... Despite something that was, in my mind, a highly unlikely, in fact, nearly impossible event towards the end - I loved this book! Eloisa James has been a favorite historical romance author of mine from the very first book I read, A Kiss At Midnight, and has been an auto-buy author ever since. I adore the humor, the passion, and the unique stories she gives us, and the beauty of her happily ever afters. A copy of this story was provided by Avon Books in exchange for an honest review.

Seduced by a Pirate (Fairy Tales #4.5) by Eloisa James

Charming, witty, romantic, sexy… I loved this novella! What it lacks in page count it more than makes up for in story, and this is how novellas should be done!

Blurb....In Eloisa James's companion story to The Ugly Duchess, Sir Griffin Barry, captain of the infamous pirate ship The Poppy, is back in England to claim the wife he hasn't seen since their wedding day . . . but this is one treasure that will not be so easy to capture.

*****
I’ll say it again, just in case I wasn’t clear: I. Loved. This. Story! I loved Griffin, Pheobe, Shark, Griffin’s dad the Viscount Moncrieff, Lyddie, Nanny McGillycuddy, Alastair, Margaret, and especially the adorably fierce, wee pirate in training, Colin. I hadn’t realized just how much I wanted to read Griffin's story until I had read Griffin's story and loved every word!

I smiled, giggled, and sighed my way through Seduced by a Pirate, and while I wish it had been longer, it didn’t need to be longer to be a delightful story, one I’ll read again and again!

Bravo, Ms. James’! Well done!

My thanks to HarperCollins/Avon Publishing for providing me a copy of this novella for review. It was such a pleasure!

When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James

Just what the doctor ordered!

I’m a big fan of historical romance novels, but admittedly the genre can become a bit tedious due to storylines and characters who are confined to the particular roles and behaviors of their era. I’ve read just about every kind of historical romance, from those of the light and fluffy variety to those that leave my emotions in a tattered mess. Well, I’m happy to say that When Beauty Tamed the Beast struck a perfect balance of both, and was an absolute pleasure to read. It wasn’t an angsty story at all, and I found myself constantly smiling and frequently even laughing out loud at their ridiculous banter. The dialog throughout the book was priceless with such sarcasm and dry humor that I just couldn’t wait for the next confrontation to take place. And while it was a very funny read, my heart ached for both Piers and Linnet and the internal battles they both fought.

At first, I couldn’t put my finger on what it was that was so appealing about our hero, Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant. He’s a gruff, offensive, belligerent doctor whose bedside manner could leave one contemplating the upside of death. Add to this that he’s not known for being stunningly handsome and I have to ask myself why I was so drawn to him. His no nonsense approach at telling patients they were going to die seemed so callous, and yet, oddly funny. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but I just couldn’t quite decide what that was. Then one of my Goodreads friends asked me if I recognized the similarities between Piers and Dr. Gregory House of the popular television show, House, who I happen to adore. Of course! Why didn’t I recognize it? Maybe it was because I haven’t watched the last couple seasons of the show because Dr. House, as a character, seemed to move away from the man I had come to adore in the earlier seasons. Piers, on the other hand, is exactly what had me falling in love with Gregory House in the first place.

Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a beauty who hasn’t been ruined by it. It’s odd, because she knows she’s beautiful because everyone says she is, but it doesn’t seem to matter much to her. Well, not until she faces the possibility of losing her looks. I really enjoyed her as a heroine, and she’s the perfect match for Piers, who needs someone he can’t trample with his cutting words and offensive manners. She’s strong, independent, and every bit as smart as Dr. House’s counterpart, Dr. Lisa Cuddy. Yes indeed, Piers and Linnet are a perfect match!

Now, before you get all offended that Ms. James might try to secretly copy this popular television show, there’s something you need to know; she didn’t do it secretly at all. There’s an author’s note at the end of the book in which she comes right out and states that the character, Dr. Gregory House and the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital greatly influenced her story. But all that said, Ms. James did an incredible job of making Piers unique. In fact, maybe he really did exist and Dr. House developed his technique based on Piers’ work! ;)

When Beauty Tamed the Beast is a great second installment to the fairy tale inspired Happily Ever Afters series, and yes, was just what the doctor ordered! It was fresh, passionate, funny, sexy as all get-out and an absolute delight to read!

5 of 5 stars.

A Kiss At Midnight (Fairy Tales #1) by Eloisa James

     This is not your mama’s Cinderella story!

     In A Kiss at Midnight we have a Godmother whose wisdom rivals any magic found in a wand, “rats” I wanted to love and cuddle and who’d be welcome at my house anytime, a stepsister who isn’t so wicked, and a step mother who is, a coach to whisk you away at the stroke of midnight, and a prince who is more than just charming, he’s a wonderful, honorable and a worthy human being – not to mention downright sexy!

     This was such a delightful re-telling of the classic Cinderella fairytale, presented in a way that makes one believe that finding your very own Prince Charming could happen to anyone. As might be expected, this story is splendid, enchanting and funny, heartwarming and at times heartbreaking, but one thing your mama’s Cinderella didn’t have was the heat between our hero and heroine, Gabriel, the prince and the Kate Daltry, our very own, in the flesh, Cinderella.

     I’m not going to spend time going over the plot details, as it’s really not necessary. Most all of us have either read the classic or seen this fairytale love story on the big screen, thanks to Walt Disney, and with the exception of a few minor twists to make this fit into “real life,” there’s no question about which fairytale A Kiss at Midnight is spun from.

     I want to say, Ms. James, thank you for this lovely story. It had me smiling, sighing, laughing out loud and even crying. This is the first book I’ve read by you, and I’m hooked! I’m thrilled to hear that you’ll be writing more in this series and that Wick, dear Wick, will be getting his own story in a novella. Thank you!

     Dear readers of my review, I urge you, if you’re in the mood for a light, feel good read, pick up this book and allow yourself to be swept away into this grown up Cinderella world, where insignificant little house maids can find their Prince Charming and together live their happily ever after.