Kind Ella for the Charming Duke by Bridget Barton

Here's the blurb from Goodreads

Following the death of her beloved father, Ella Winfield is devastated when her mother, a woman with untamed social aspirations, hastily marries the Earl of Dandridge. He is a humorless man, and one whom Ella does not trust for a moment. Leaving her beloved Longton Manor behind, Ella is cast adrift in the large and unwelcoming Dandridge Hall, despite her desperate plea that her mother need not marry at all.

The Earl's daughters, Lady Patience and Lady Georgiana, are spoiled and manner less young ladies, used to their own way in all things and fiercely competitive with one another. But when the Duke of Hillington is reported to be searching for a suitable bride, the tension between the sisters reaches new heights. With Ella's simple beauty, intelligence, and fine manners, the Earl seeks to hide her away from the world and, more importantly, the Duke of Hillington himself.

When he determines that Ella not attend a masquerade ball to which the whole family has been invited, Ella takes it upon herself to attend in disguise and spy on the ambitious little family for her own amusement. When she finds herself in anonymous conversation with the Duke himself, she realizes that there is more to him than a man who would seek nothing more than a pretty bride with a large dowry. He is open and amusing and she finds herself quite captivated.

Rufus Darnley, the Duke of Hillington, cannot shake from his mind the curious and exciting young woman who appeared at his masquerade ball uninvited, and he can no longer find any enthusiasm for his search for a wife with whom he might provide an heir to the Duchy. When he finds the discarded mask of the mysterious woman who left the ball without a word, he holds on to the hope that he might one day discover her true identity.

As the Earl of Dandridge plots the most appalling schemes to keep the Duke interested in his own daughters, Ella Winfield must do what she can to stop the man she is fast becoming attracted to from being steered in the direction of either Lady Patience or Lady Georgiana, all without being discovered by the family who have, one by one, turned their backs upon her.



I really liked this book. Ella is a wonderful main character, a sensible young girl who is practical and a bit adventurous at the same time. She ends up in a horrid situation because of her mother, but tries everything in her power to make her situation bearable. I loved the variation on the "best friend character" that's always present in Barton's books, as this time it is not another girl if the same social status as Ella, and in case of the duke it isn't a man of the same age as him. The only reason for not giving this book five stars is because the extended epilogue isn't part of the book, and it took me a bit to find it in the web (it's free and it's lovely, but having to look for it elsewhere was a bit annoying).

It has certainly unseated A Bride for the Betrayed Earl as my favorite by Bridget Barton.

Regifted: Three holiday romances by D.J. Jamison

here's the blurb from Goodreads

This box set includes three previously published holiday romances by DJ Jamison: Winter Blom, Chance for Christmas, and Yours For The Holiday. 

Winter Blom: Lane Cross works construction to pay the bills, and makes metal art to … also pay the bills. As a single dad, the enjoyment of his art has taken a backseat to making ends meet. And his love life has taken a back seat to caring for his son, especially when Zach, age 6, sabotages every babysitting attempt Lane makes. Then Lane meets news intern Andy Blom. The man’s Swedish name meaning bloom is perfect for him: Andy is refreshingly sweet and vibrant. But when Lane moves too fast, will he scare away the surprisingly innocent young man – or will Andy’s journalistic ethics end them before they ever begin? 

Chance for Christmas: Chance Rasmussen returns to Ashe, Kansas, eight years after his high school crush humiliated him with a sext that went viral. He's low on holiday spirit with his personal ghost of Christmas past haunting him, but when his BFF asks him to attend a party as her fake date, he reluctantly agrees. The last person he expects to see there is Joe Stewart, the compassionate prosecutor he hero-worshipped during the lowest point of his life. The spark of attraction is still there, but Chance isn't planning to stay in Ashe past the holidays and the specter of his past still looms large between them. Can they find a way to build a future together or will Joe only have Chance for Christmas? 

Yours For The Holiday: Remy Wells is in no mood to share a room with his brother's best friend during a holiday stay. Jason Hendricks has always treated him like a little brother to tease and taunt, all the more embarrassing because Remy has secretly crushed on the jerk since puberty. But when Jason confides he's bisexual, Remy realizes the crush he loves to hate could be the perfect rebound. 

Two of the books in this set are from the Ashe Sentinel Connections universe, but each romance introduces new characters and can be read on its own. 


Definitely worth it.
Winter Blom: the story of Andy, a young adult in his first (unpaid) internship falling for a widowed man with a son. A bit fast for me in the falling for each other part, but overall really cute.
Chance for Christmas: super adorable. I loved the way Chance's trauma was dealt with, and Joe's character is really nice, and quite different than what I'm used to see by DJ Jamison. Really liked it.
Yours for the Holiday: my absolute favorite of the three. The way Remy and Jason slowly learn to trust each other in a way that goes beyond the relationship of frenimity they'd kept so far is so sweet, and the general hardships they go through are so relatable it makes the story all the more endearing. Totally loved it 

I totally recommend this set. If you don't feel like getting all the books, then at the very least get Yours for the Holiday. 
Note: I have read all the previous Ashe Sentinel books, but both Chance for Christmas and Winter Blom can be easily read as standalones, and are easy to understand as such. 

Sing Roses For Me by Ben Marney

Here's the blurb from Goodreads

A tragic love story methodically woven around a fallen country music star, a beautiful dancer, a 13 year old child genius and a powerful, psychopathic judge. 

A friend pulls out a Ouija board and asks you to play. It's just a game, right? But when the Ouija board reveals a secret you've never disclosed, then "the spirit" asks you to warn his living sister that she is about to be murdered. What would you do? This is the scenario that tragically entangles the lives of Max Allen, Carla Cecil and Bradford Doss. 

Max is a disgraced fallen country music star trying to survive his ignominy by escaping to the islands to find a new direction and purpose for his life. In the islands, he meets and falls in love with, Michelle, a beautiful cruise ship dancer. Bradford Doss, is a revered Texas State Court Judge. He is also a serial murderer. Carla Cecil, is a child genius. At 13 she is the youngest person to ever attend Rice University, the spirit's living sister and tragically... the judges next prey.

So not my cup of tea. First, the timeline is a mess. You can't gauge what is happening when in comparison to what happens to the other characters. Also, it jumps from character narratives, so you can be seeing a scene in the present from a point of view and the next chapter you are seeing events in another place, another point in the timeline, and another narrator. And it can go from 100 to 0 as far as excitement goes really quick. Literally jump from a close murder scene to a peaceful beach in the caribbean and you have no idea how it is all related.

Second, it takes at least half the book to reach the moment told in the blurb. I spent half the book waiting for the board to come out, and after it did I was too tired of the rest of the things to take much of the excitement in. All the messy timeline made it very unsurprising when things finally started happening, and as we knew what was happening from moment one (they hide nothing in the mess) there are no surprises left. 

Three, I found it slightly disturbing that most of the relationships in the book (healthy and unhealthy both) were between a young attractive woman and an older man. Like in one of those the male met the girl as a child, time skip, she is barely legal and he's in love with her, though he's about 8 to 10 years older. Of course, relationship ensues. Max, same story, but he's in his late 40's and she's in her early 20's. I just think it's icky that it's EVERY relationship that's actually portrayed in the book. 

Based on the blurb, it had serious potential. I'm kind of sad of how it actually went. 

The Lion and the Crow by Eli Easton

Here's the summary from Goodreads

In medieval England, duty is everything, personal honor is more valued than life itself, and homosexuality is not tolerated by the church or society. 

Sir Christian Brandon was raised in a household where he was hated for his unusual beauty and for his parentage. Being smaller than his six brutish half-brothers, he learned to survive by using his wits and his gift for strategy, earning him the nickname the Crow. 

Sir William Corbett, a large and fierce warrior known as the Lion, has pushed his unnatural desires down all his life. He’s determined to live up to his own ideal of a gallant knight. When he takes up a quest to rescue his sister from her abusive lord of a husband, he’s forced to enlist the help of Sir Christian. It’s a partnership that will test every strand of his moral fiber, and, eventually, his understanding of the meaning of duty, honor, and love.

This book makes me so happy, because not only does it have a cute romance story, but said story is historically accurate, really exciting, and very emotional. I have read it twice now, and I can't discount the possibility of another reread!

Definitely worth the time. Then again, it's by Eli Easton, so of course I love it. The lowest I've ever given her books are four stars, after all ;)

visita de David Díaz a la clase

David es director creativo en la agencia JWT, y fue a la clase a hacernos una presentación que él tituló Young Guns. Habló de lo que puede hacer un creativo en una agencia, y lo que es y hace un creativo.
Según David, un creativo....
- es creativo
- debe ignorar las tendencias, ya que lo que esta de moda hoy no necesariamente va a gustar mañana
- no deja de lado la estrategia, ya que si no logra vender no es creativo
- fracasa, es rechazado, pero no por eso debe dejar de lado el riesgo de "matar a Goose" o tener miedo al fracaso
- soluciona  problemas, ya que se ayuda a la gente mientras se ayuda a la marca.
- aprovecha cualquier oportunidad, ya que el que un trabajo sea pequeño no lo hace menos provechoso a la hora de crear

y como ultimo... que lo que se haga lo haga a uno feliz.

Hay consejos de los que dio que no solo aplican a lo que es creatividad publicitaria, sino que cabe aplicarlos en la vida en general. Se me hizo que la presentación de David fue entretenida, y llevadera al tiempo que fue provechosa. Considero que valió la pena.

All my broken pieces by Hollis Shiloh

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Tim is a small wolf shifter, partially disabled, not good at confrontation, and very alone. Life isn't easy at a precinct where he's never been fully accepted. He spends far too much of his time trying not to overhear coworkers mocking him. His best friend (okay, pretty much his only friend) is a drug-addicted fox shifter. 

And Tim certainly knows better than to fall in love; that didn't work out so hot before. These days, he sticks to anonymous encounters. He doesn't believe in mates or true love, not for someone like him. 

But he's worked for the cops almost a decade now, and really, there's no reason at all why he should have to go through a stupid certification course. They didn't even have those when he started! 

Life takes an unexpected twist when one of his anonymous encounters turns out to be attending the same certification course. Levi is a big, sweet guy he'd never expected to see again. 

Tim doesn't want to let Levi see the flaws and cracks that anything more than a quick hookup would reveal. He certainly doesn't plan to spend any more time with the guy, much less get feelings for him... 

I swore I had reviewed this book a while ago, but it seems like I forgot....oops

Levi and Tim, such a cute couple. Tim is insecure, having a crooked back, chronic pain and having been shunned by his pack both because of his back and because of being gay. Having to do the certification course is the cherry on top of his problems, as he really doesn't want to deal with having a partner, a must of the program. Levi (the dream guy) pretty much comes as part of a package to make Tim's life better, if he allows himself to hope for that of course.
The plot is both exciting and cute at the same time. Definitely better than My Partner the Wolf (in my opinion), and making me rethink my stance about not reading that many books.

This book is a roller coaster of feelings from start to finish, and totally worth the time.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book.

A Beauty for the Scarred Duke by Bridget Barton

Here's the summary from Goodreads

As young girls, Lady Isabella Tate, daughter of the Earl of Upperton, and her friend, Esme, told each other terrifying tales of the monster. But not just any monster. This monster was alive and living in his old mansion behind a tangle of overgrown hawthorn trees in the very same county. This monster was none other than Elliot Covington, the Duke of Caldwell.

The Duke of Caldwell, scarred for life in a fire which claimed the lives of those dearest to him has been hiding in his mansion for almost eighteen years. He knows he is a figure of fear and speculation in the county and chose many years before to live a life of self-imposed isolation. But he is the loneliest Duke in all of England. When the Earl of Upperton sells his daughter off as a bride for the disfigured Duke, Isabella has never been more terrified. Due to marry a man she has never met and always believed to be a monster, she truly believes her life is over.

But is life with the Duke really something to be afraid of? Will Isabella be able to get past her own prejudice and see the man beneath the scars? And will the Duke be able to let go of the pain and guilt that has swallowed him whole for almost two decades and find a new life with a new love?

It took me a while to read, because at the beginning of the book the only thing that truly labeled the duke as a monster was the fact that he was disfigured. The rest of the book was good, but it made me feel like Isabella was very vain, and I found it exasperating. Also, the fact that she couldn't get over the fact that not all of his face was handsome! Like, honestly, it doesn't seem like such a ridiculously huge scar, truth be told. For him to be self.conscious is reasonable, but I couldn't understand why she had such a hard time getting over it! Had there been a rumor about a beastly character to go with Elliot, then her fear would've been more believable.
Other than that, it was a sweet, enjoyable romance. Certainly cute, this time with a more realistic view of the lord's duties than in Bridget's previous books.

A bit tiring at times, but quite enjoyable as a whole.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book

The Body in the Backyard by Hollis Shiloh

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Clarence Collin is pushing up daisies—in Abe's bed of zinnias! 

When the caustic critic of a TV gardening show winds up murdered in Abe's well-groomed backyard, both Abe and his hunky-but-irritating neighbor Gregory might be on the suspect list. 

Abe starts amateur sleuthing in self-defense...and to spend time with Gregory. When the two green thumbs look into their neighborhood's dirty little secrets, who knows what they'll dig up? 

An interesting change from the author, it is quite enjoyable. Abe isn't the regular criminal hero, being not young (I'm guessing in his 40's, but the author never says), very nervous, not always logical and cool and not very brave. That makes him more likeable, in my opinion. His ex cheated on him, and they got divorced, which also means his self esteem isn't much (which is one of the things I like so much about Hollis's books, that not all of the characters are confident badasses).  His detective partner, Gregory, is also a very human character, with flaws, strong points, obsessions.... I like him. 
The mystery itself is not evident, and you get to suspect everyone before you get to the criminal. Well written, quite enjoyable, and it leaves you guessing everytime you let the book go. 

If Hollis Shiloh ever decides to write mystery again, count me in!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review

The Clockwork War by Katy Haye (Clockwork War #1)

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Imagine that Queen Elizabeth I never ruled. 
England and Scotland never unified. 
It’s 1845 and the two countries are once more at war. 

Mechanical genius Clara Lissing cares little for the war. She just wants to keep her five brothers safe. But when her youngest brother Tom enlists with the army everything she’s worked for starts to fall apart. 
Clara goes to London to work with Duke Murgatroyd building a device that will bring an end to the fighting. Clara is determined to do her duty, help win the war and send everyone’s brothers home to safety. 
But life in London brings with it the distracting presence of Gordy, Murgatroyd’s 18-year-old nephew. Gordy is a loose cog, twisting her clockwork life out of shape and making her think of things that aren’t work and duty. 
Then Clara discovers Murgatroyd’s true plans for the army, the city, and England itself. With war reaching to the heart of London, Clara and Gordy must match duty with determination if they’re to save a nation


I really liked this book. It was engaging and exciting, and I could hardly put it down. Clara is (to me) quite relatable, and I officially declare Gordy a cinnamon roll. Clara can be a bit dense sometimes, but given he fact that she's human and not that used to human company, generally prefering machines, it's understandable. I am really curious to know what really happened to princess Myrtle (and McAllister), as I'm sure it's a story worth hearing, and I hope it's touched in the next books.

You can get this copy in the Shattered Worlds anthology (which has 20 other novels!) or in paperback. I really hope I get to read the next one soon!

(I bought the anthology, but received a copy of this novel for review as well)

The Replacement Princess by Katy Haye (Clockwork war 0.5)

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Imagine that Queen Elizabeth I never ruled. 
England and Scotland never unified. 
It's 1841 the two countries are once more at war. 

16-year-old English Princess Myrtle holds the fate of two nations in her hands. She can bring about a truce by marrying Scottish Prince James. Since he is just a boy of 14, she has two years to unlearn everything she thought she knew about Scotland and fall in love with the country that will be her home, and the boy destined to become her husband. 

The son of a Scottish Duke, Callum McAllister joins the court to teach Myrtle about Scotland and change her reluctant mind about her future. But when war has been simmering for centuries, two years is a long time. The smallest misstep could bring chaos and return the countries to war. Myrtle must tread carefully to ensure nothing goes wrong. 

I really liked this story. It really makes me want to read the Clockwork War. Myrtle, for being a princess, is a very relatable character, and I really wish she was allowed to marry McAllister. If you have an hour or so to spare, don't hesitate to get this book. 

 A worthy read, no doubt. 

All for the game trilogy by Nora Sakavic

Here's the summary of the first book (the foxhole court) from Goodreads

Neil Josten is the newest addition to the Palmetto State University Exy team. He's short, he's fast, he's got a ton of potential—and he's the runaway son of the murderous crime lord known as The Butcher.

Signing a contract with the PSU Foxes is the last thing a guy like Neil should do. The team is high profile and he doesn't need sports crews broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation. His lies will hold up only so long under this kind of scrutiny and the truth will get him killed.

But Neil's not the only one with secrets on the team. One of Neil's new teammates is a friend from his old life, and Neil can't walk away from him a second time. Neil has survived the last eight years by running. Maybe he's finally found someone and something worth fighting for. 

I feel very confused. Loke, the writing is bad, there are so many things that just simply do not happen in real life, and sometimes the characters just seem just so exagerated it makes you wonder why you even like the book at all. However, the plot is very exciting, so you can't help yourself from reading like a maniac because you just need to know.

I have issues on the fact that Nora has no idea of how drugs work, how professional sports work, and didn't bother explaining her invented sport (exy) until the end of the second book (where she wrote the rules almost like an afterthought). I mean, even if you write a book about a well known sport, you should assume that at least some of your readers don't know the rules well, and so you must explain them. Even more important if the sport is something you made up yourself. Also, you shold take into account no kind of sports team allow their players to play either drunk or drugged, let alone have their coach turn a blind eye to their getting drunk or drugged. Also, mixing antipsicotics with alcohol is a bad idea. In fact, mixing any kind of drug with alcohol is a bad idea. And shouldn't the same courts who decided to drug Andrew have told him so?

As for the level of unreal some of the things... jusy don't add up. Either they don't really happen that way in real life (like using a trigger of a horrid memory as a way to calm down) or they're just too random to make sense and leave you feeling like ummm.... ok?

And yet, it was such an exciting series, and such an emotional roller coaster, I can't even say I won't ever read them again. In fact, between my ridiculous academic load I still managed to finish this three books in about a week and a half.

I really have plenty of things against this books, but can't bring myself to dislike them... but the fact that it was exciting still doesn't make them good! I'm so conflicted I can't even say if I recommend them or not, so do as you please with this ones.

Tender with a Twist by Annabeth Albert

Here's the summary from Goodreads

One kinky wood carver. One younger chef looking to try new things. A series of lessons that bring both men more than they bargained for…

Curtis Hunt has made a name for himself as a chainsaw wood carver, winning national competitions and operating a small business in Rainbow Cove, Oregon. As winter whittles away his tourist traffic, his goal is just to survive the season and try to not get lost in grief for his dead lover. It’s been two years, but he’s sure he’ll never be over the love of a lifetime. However, his body has a certain restlessness that he doesn’t quite know how to calm.

Logan Rosner knows a thing or two about restlessness. It’s what drove him to Rainbow Cove to be a chef at a bar and grill run by his friends. And it’s what drives him to a single sizzling encounter with the local legendary lumberjack. Both men get far more than they expected and learn that first impressions aren’t always accurate…

But when Logan proposes a series of sexy lessons, Curtis must decide how much he’s willing to risk. He knows he can’t afford to get attached to Logan’s good cooking, his easy smiles, or his caretaking, but he keeps going back for more, even as deeper emotions become involved. Soon, Curtis must decide whether to risk his heart again or risk losing Logan for good.

This book was way cuter than expected. When I saw that the book included bdsm, I wasn't that sold on it. Up until now all of the books I've read that include the kink are more in a "too much kink and not enough plot " category, but this book was definitely not the case.

Logan and Curtis have a very cute story, and the main focus of it is their romance and personal development and not the kinky sex they both enjoy, which makes this a total winner in my books.

Disclaimer: I recieved a free copy of this book

My Partner the Wolf by Hollis Shiloh

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Tom Langley and Sean Goods work together in a human-and-wolf shifter partnership, assisting the police, rushing in to solve crimes wherever their bosses send them. They're a great team, and they have fun together, too: joking and enjoying each other's company in a way that doesn't happen every day.

Tom is also a married man. And his husband hates the wolf shifter with a passion. Tom tries to balance the sides of his life—one minute on a high-pressure chase with Sean, the next placating his husband Lowell.

Then the unthinkable happens: his marriage ends. Heartbroken, he's not expecting to ever get over Lowell's betrayal or to be able to love again.

Sean offers a solution: sex as friends. They have chemistry, and they trust each other.

But can they change their partnership that much? And is Sean secretly harboring feelings for him—expecting more than just sex?

Sean is a loveable, funny, strong, and protective. He's the best buddy a guy could have. But Tom might not be able to keep from breaking his heart—if Sean is in love with him, and Tom can't love him back.

This book is definitely emotionally heavy, but entertaining all the same. Tom finds it VERY hard to deal with the fact that his marriage is over, and that makes him hesitate a lot over pretty much everything. Sean, however, is pretty much the dream  partner anyone would want. Cute, hot, attentive, he kind of is everything Tom needs and wants, even though he doesn't know it. It is very obvious to everyone but him. 

The book is good, but the fact that Tom takes over two thirds of the book and half a year or more without being able to pick up his slack makes it a bit tiring.  It is part of a VERY long series, and I'm not so sure that I want to invest myself on it. If there's standalones, then I might think about it, as I really liked how Hollis Shiloh writes. But 13 books is a lot, and my to-read pile (both the physical and the digital one) is big enough as it is. 

Dissent (Echoes of Earth #2) by Katy Haye

This book is the continuation of Discord, and I honestly have no idea how to summarize this book without spoiling the first book, but if you're desperate enough to know, here's the link to Goodreads.

This book has a different narrator than the previous one, and his name is Hiran. He has a less upbeat tone than Beth does, but given what he's been through, that's definitely understandable. He's been given a very hard life, and is currently in love with a girl who doesn't really love him back. Beth and Toby appear in this book, but they aren't the main focus of it. In fact, Ivo and Oshi appear more than they do, and as they're my favorite couple from Steptoe house, that makes me really happy.

As much as I'd love to gush about my love for Hiran and Roisin and how exciting this book is, it would definitely involve spoilers if you haven't read Discord, so you should take my word and believe that this book and it's predecessor are definitely a worthy read. And it's a good sequel, which is always a plus in my books.

Brooke: Wagers Gone Awry (Conundrums of the Misses Culpepper #1) by Collette Cameron

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Brooke Culpepper resigned herself to spinsterhood when she turned down the only marriage proposal she’d likely ever receive to care for her sister and cousins. After her father dies, a distant cousin inherits the estate, becoming their guardian, but he permits Brooke to act in his stead.

Heath, Earl of Ravensdale detests the countryside and is none too pleased to discover five young women call the dairy farm he won, and intends to sell, their home. 

Desperate, pauper poor, and with nowhere to go, Brooke proposes a wager. Heath's stakes? The farm. Hers? Her virtue. The land holds no interest for Heath, but Brooke definitely does, and he accepts her challenge. Will they both live to regret their impulsiveness? 

This book has a headstrong, powerful lady as a lead: Brooke Culpepper. She has spent years looking after her sister and cousins (all female), doing everything in her power to keep her beloved farm going and providing enough money to feed the girls and the loyal staff members that still remain with her.  Yet life decides to slap her in the face, as her careless cousin lost the deed of their property on a wager to the Earl of Ravensdale. 

He, however, doesn't know who lives on the house and under what condition, so he goes to the farm to evict those who live there and sell the property. He arrives almost at the same time as the news of the new ownership reach the girls, and under many miscommunications, chaos ensues.

I found the book engaging, fun and interesting, and this book left me happy enough that I already purchased the next two books that follow it. I found the "falling in love" part a bit too hurried for my liking, but this book probably wouldn't have worked well without the reduced timeframe. As a first impression to Collette Cameron, this definitely did a good job. I'll be writing more reviews of her books in the future, starting with more of the Culpepper girls. 

Given the reasons stated above, the rating shouldn't be a surprise. Wait a bit for more Collette Cameron books!

A Bride for the Betrayed Earl by Bridget Barton

Here's the summary from Goodreads

When Hunter Bentley, the Earl of Addison, returns from Scotland, it is to find that the love of his life has married another. On a mission of mercy to see his beloved father through his final days in the country he loved, Hunter is unaware that the woman he was set to marry, feeling neglected by his absence, has accepted a proposal of marriage from the Duke of Galcross. Still, Lady Felicity Morgan was always a little spoiled and a little ambitious.

Weeks later, Emmeline Fitzgerald suffers the worst humiliation of her life. Just months after the death of her beloved father, the man she is set to marry publicly announces his engagement to another. Feeling all eyes on her, Emmeline almost turns to run, but her dignity is saved by none other than the Earl of Addison. Within days the Earl, a man she barely knows, makes her a most unusual proposal; a marriage of convenience. He is looking for a wife so that he might produce an heir to his title and estate. She needs a husband of means to save her, her mother, and sister from financial ruin when her second cousin, Kent Fitzgerald, finally inherits her father’s estate some months after his passing.

Finding they have more in common than they could have imagined, can Hunter and Emmeline find the path to true love? Or will the constant interference from Felicity and Kent Fitzgerald drive a wedge between them?

So, I wasn't very excited about reading this book at first because of how horrid A Lady for the Brazen Earl was for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book is good, simple, if a bit predictable, but certainly enjoyable. Both Emmeline and Hunter have been betrayed, are hurting, and find the solution for their individual problems in each other. The thing is, they promise each other to not involve feelings in their deal. Also, there's people that aren't happy with their arrangement and would rather see them apart. And, as the author promises, there's a guaranteed happy ever after, so you kinda know where the book is headed but that doesn't make it bad.

The characters (all of them!) have dimensions, which is one of the things that annoyed me the most with A Lady For The Brazen Earl, as most of the characters were flat and one dimenional. It still seems a bit like the lords do nothing but socialize all year round, which it can (kind of) be forgiven as a little annoyance, but not a turn off from this book. 

It won't win any prizes, but it was certainly enjoyable and WAY better than the previous read by Barton. More of a book for relaxation than excitement, but if that's what you're looking for, go ahead and get it.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book

Man & Beast (The Savage Land, #1) by Michael Jensen

For this book, there's no summary on Goodreads and the one in Michael Jensen's web page is kind of spoiler-filled, so I'll try to write my own!

It all starts in the year 1797, when gay man John Chapman has to flee from Canada after he's discovered as a gay man. His hopes in life is a paper where they claim free land and supplies for a settlement in the unconquered frontier. Midwinter, lost cold and half starved, he stumbles into the cabin of a man called Daniel, whom John believes can be love and hope he was searching for. But is he the man he hoped, or a beast to be feared?

This book is quite interesting, as it throws a queer man in a time in which being queer was punished by death (as it is shown in chapter 1). And, even if he doesn't want to, he's forced to confront his views on his sexuality and the realities he lives in. The book is a bit slow, but interesting nonetheless. You also get  to see a curious variety of characters with plenty of layers to keep you entertained, main character included.

I actually read the summary in Michael's page, so I kind of spoiled myself about half the book, so there were things that I'd have found more exciting if I hadn't read it beforehand, and that affects my overall score for the book. For some reason I spent about half the book believing there was going to be some supernatural element to the book, but that was me being misguided by the summary of this book and the sequel, which I haven't read yet. It is historical and realistic, without any added element of magic. Meaning, the beast of a title is a real one.

It was good, a bit slow (which isn't bad), with good character development and a good plot, but I lost a lot of excitement by knowing what was going to happen. If you want to read it, Michael Jensen sends this book to you by subscribing to his newsletter (that's how I got mine). Just be wary of the summary in the page!

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

Here's the summary from Goodreads

She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn’t even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning.

Now, she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They’ve killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. They want her dead, and soon.

When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it’s her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous.

Resolving to meet the threat head-on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival. As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.

I really like the way Stephenie Meyer writes, and I've liked both the Twilight saga and The Host (sue me). So, of course I had to read her newest book. And this suspense book deviates from her previous dabs with the supernatural because there is no supernatural. In this book we have a regular girl with a nondescript appearance (as told by herself) who happens to be a genius. She was part of a hush hush part of the government, who decided to eliminate her and her mentor because they know something someone doesn't want them to know. 
She's been on the run for years, taking many preventions from being killed and living in total paranoia. Then she receives an email from a member of the department where she worked, where he claims they need her, because only she can stop a massive world-scale crisis from happening. And one of the causes is a common school teacher, called Daniel, whom she has to interrogate. And things happen, I'm not spoiling anything, but it's really exciting. 
First, I love that the lead is an ethnically ambiguous girl with no physical prowess, whose ultimate weapon is her brain. And that the romantic interest is like "Okay, she's leagues smarter than I am, and that's really cool". I could do with more of that. Also, her general self doesn't change when she falls in love. If anything, I find her panic upon the idea of love and feelings to be quite refreshing, and that the romantic interest is the one who gushes the poetic romantic stuff. Yes, the guy is the romantic one, and I love that. Also, he cooks. Give him a medal, please. 
Added to a refreshing couple you have conspiracies, the general mystery of not knowing what's going on but the nagging need of finding out, general adventure and fear, and guns and fire and poisons. 

In conclusion, this book successfully managed to keep me awake making theories of what happens next, and that level of attachment with a story is what I look for in a book to make it a 5 star read. I really recommend this book, you'll likely not regret it. 

Swimming the Distance by Annabeth Albert

This is a really cute short story, which Goodreads says is originally part of an anthology. I got the story by itself as a freebie, so I can't say anything of the anthology itself. So, here's a summary by me!

Bodhan is a swimmer, gay and in the closet. After two years in a relationship with his boyfriend Kyle, it gets harder to keep it a secret, more so counting the amount of press caused by his success. Things between the couple get tense at the eve of the 2012 Olympics, when Bodhan tells in an interview that he's straight. Will they manage to patch things up and win the medal?

Ok, I suck at summaries, but it could've been worse. All in all, I like this story better than most short romance stories, as it doesn't try to make two characters fall in love in a ridiculously short amount of time. Instead, here's the problems of an already established couple, who've been together for years but still have problems (like real couples!).

Also I like how they portray an established relationship, like knowing what makes the other nervous and what makes the other happy. I really like that. They know each other, care about each other, and are a general good couple. That makes it even more angst-y when things start to fail and they're not happy with each other, as you (as the reader) really want to make things work out because they obviously care about each other!

This story is really cute, and quite a relaxing and satisfying read. I recommend it.

Discord (Echoes of Earth #1)by Katy Haye

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Beth forgot her past. What if there’s nothing to remember?

Beth has spent six months at remote Steptoe House in the English countryside and still can’t remember a single thing from before her car accident. The doctors say that’s normal. They say traumatic brain injuries heal at their own pace and insist the music therapy they prescribe to their patients is the key to recovery. 

But something is off at Steptoe House and Beth can feel it. There’s a wrongness there — a discord between what is and what should be. Strange voices echo down the halls at night and shifting shadows beckon. And Beth doesn’t dare tell anyone she’s been talking to ghosts.

So, when new patient Toby arrives, she’s relieved to find a friend she can trust, a confidant to share her ghosts with. Plus, he’s really cute. Together, they will tackle the mystery of Steptoe House and uncover more than either of them ever bargained for.

I want to start by saying I really like this book. The characters are well rounded, varied and likeable. You get a bit of everything as far as physical appearance and personality go, and you might find someone you can relate to easily enough. I can't say there's anyone among the patients at Steptoe House I don't like, but among the couples the ones I like most are Beth and Toby and Ivo and Oshi (the pain... but they're just too much!). I'm quite sure that if  I ever had to spend time around a real life pair like Jack and Maggie I'd end up getting cavities, but I quite like them in a book. 

Also, brownie points to Katy, for managing to make two characters fall head-over-heels in love with each other in just a pair of chapters without making it seem unreasonable, an afterthought or too hurried. First time I've seen this done, and my HUGE "Read" shelf on Goodreads is my witness (767 books to this day).

 The storyline is exciting, giving enough clues to have you waiting for the answers without giving anything away, and when things go down there's no excitement lost. And things do go down big time. The mystery is greater than you guys imagine. 

And that ending! I REALLY want to read the next book, as there is still too much that needs to happen and the need of knowing is definitely not gone. 

I really recommend this book, and hope I can get my hands on the sequel soon!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review