"Emerald" by Lauren Royal

Emerald by Lauren Royal 2000

Description from back of book:
"Jason Chase is on a headlong mission to bring a scoundrel to justice when he smacks headfirst into a hapless Scottish lad - who happens to be a lovely lass. Though she claims she's headed to London on family business, Jason's convinced she's a notorious bounty hunter and that they're after the same man. He refuses to let her out of his sight.

Caithren Leslie longs to be rid of the handsome, overbearing Englishman, yet recognizes the danger of traveling alone among rogues and highwaymen. Though Jason claims he's a commoner, Cait suspects he's of noble birth. And as combat becomes companionship, and travel reveals truth, Jason and Cait discover that appearances can be most deceptive...and admit that the only quest that matters is the one for love."

This book, taking place in 1667, is Restoration, not Regency, but I'm putting it here anyway. I'm quite excited, actually, to see a book taking place in the Restoration time period. It's a period not generally covered by romance novels and it's an exciting period.

On top of the interesting time period, this is simply a good book. A bit on the long side (although this is not a problem), this book takes the time to develop the relationship between Jason and Cait. She also does quite a good job with the language and customs of the Restoration era. The story is engaging, the characters are interesting, and it's an enjoyable and unique read.

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"The Heir and the Spare" by Maya Rodale

The Heir and the Spare by Maya Rodale 2007

Description from back of book:
All of London is raving about the newly arrived American Emilia Highhart. She has beauty, charm, wit, and a hint of the exotic. Unfortunately, grace is decidedly not one of her virtues. Staircases, doors, even floors have proven her enemies, often leaving Emilia prostrate and mortified in a pile of muslin. Nevertheless, at her first ball, her dance card soon fills with the names of highly suitable men. But Emilia's eyes are on just one man - the one her aunt points out as the entirely unsuitable Lord Phillip...

In fact, he isn't Lord Phillip. While Phillip, the heir, goes about spending the good family's funds, his identical twin, Devon, the spare, must attend society functions as Lord Phillip-all because of a few blasted miniutes' age difference. Soon, both twins are vying for Emilia. And, under the not-so-watchful eye of Lady Palmerston, aunt and chaperone to the young lady, Emilia is unknowningly courted by two different men with the same face! But only one of them is the love of her life...

This book was not very good. She kept bringing up ideas and then dropping them, pulling things out of nowhere, and on top of that, the writing itself just wasn't very good. Perhaps she'll get better, as this is her first book, but I can't say it's a very strong debut.

RATING: 1/2

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"Nicola and the Viscount" by Meg Cabot

Nicola and the Viscount by Meg Cabot 2002

Description from back of book:
Nicola could feel Lord Sebastien's heart beeting. It was the most delightful feeling in the world. Surely it meant that The God liked her. More than simply liked her - loved her even. It had to! It just had to!

Miss Nicola Sparks has fallen in love, big time. The object of her dreams is the fabulously rich Lord Sebastein, he of the ice-blue eyes, golden hair and full-on mastery of the dance floor. To Nicky, Lord S. is a god. But are gods always quite as perfect as they are meant to be?

This is a Regency romance for teens, by the same author as The Princess Diaries. It's quite cute, and quite enjoyable. Meg Cabot's writing is engaging, and the characters, while definitely teenage "hero" and "heroine" are still good. This is a fun book for adults to read as well.

RATING: 1/2

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"Romancing Mr. Bridgerton" by Julia Quinn

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn 2002

Description from back of book:
"Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for...well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Briderton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret...and fears she doesn't know him at all. Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of the neverending sameness of his life, and, most of all, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad, he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same - especially Penelope Featherington! The girl who was always simply...there is suddenly the girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide...is she his biggest threat - or his promise of a happy ending?"

Like all the other books I've read of Julia Quinn's, this book is, of course, good. It's a wonderful story for those girls who never quite felt at ease in society, those of us who were never quite "popular." Colin is a wonderful hero and a fun character, and Penelope is charming and likeable. Despite this, however, this book seems to be missing something that has been present in her other books. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I think part of it is that she spends too much time on the Lady Whistledown stuff - for obvious reasons, but it still gets to be too much at times. Still a good book, though, and still worth reading.

RATING: 1/2

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"The Viscount Who Loved Me" by Julia Quinn

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn 2000

Description from back of book:
Anthony Bridgerton needs a wife. Having spent his twenties in a rakish pursuit of pleasure, he knows it's high time he settled down and ensured the continuation of the Bridgerton line. Edwina Sheffield is considered the most beautiful debutante of the season. She is also sweet, innocent and eminently biddable - Anthony is sure she'll make a perfectly acceptable wife and vows to make her his. The only obstacle in his way is Edwina's older sister, Kate. Kate is determined to do all she can to allow her sister the chance to marry for love rather than convenience. And the roguish viscount is beginning to think he may have met his match in Kate's keen wit and sharp tongue. Until that is, he makes the mistake of kissing her...

You know, I hate the descriptions on the back of romance novels. They leave so much out and make the books sound so much sillier and pettier than they actually are. As they do with this book. But that's beside the point. As with the other two Julia Quinn novels I have reviewed to this point, this book was very good. I enjoy her writing style a great deal, although this book is a bit less "witty" than the other two - it certainly has its moments. I think one of the things I like best about Julia Quinn is how she makes her characters real. None of them are perfect - they all have their little foibles, which makes it easier for those of us who are not made to be in romance novels understand and relate that much better. Such as the fact that Kate can't dance. And she's a miserable musician. And she's figety. It just makes her human. Anthony is a wonderful tortured hero, as well, although in a much different way than Michael (When He Was Wicked) or Simon (The Duke And I). Truly an enjoyable book! I can't wait to read the rest!

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"Your Wicked Ways" by Eloisa James

Your Wicked Ways by Eloisa James 2004

Description from back of book:
"Helene, the Countess Godwin, knows there is nothing more unbearably tedious than a virtuous woman. After all, she's been one for ten long years while her scoundrel of a husband lives with strumpets and causes scandal after scandal. So she decides it's time for a change - she styles her hair in the newest, daring mode, puts on a shockingly transparent gown, and goes to a ball like Cinderella, hoping to find a prince charming to sweep her off her feet...and into his bed. But instead of a prince, she finds only her only volatile, infuriatingly handsome...husband, Rees, the Earl Godwin. They'd eloped to Gretna Green in a fiery passion, but passion can sometimes burn too hot to last. But now, Rees makes her a brazen offer, and Helene decides to become a wife again...but not in name only. No, this time she decides to be very, very wicked indeed."

This is one of my very favorite of Eloisa James's books. And that description leaves out one of the most salient points of the plot - Helene isn't a loose woman who just wants some man to bed her, she's a woman who desperately wants a baby, and knows her childbearing years are running out. That's why she does everything she does. That discription makes her sound a bit...wanton. But anyway, the Helene/Rees plot in this book is brilliant. Rees is a perfect anti-hero - he's clueless when it comes to women, a bit of a jerk, poorly dressed - and absolutely loveable at the same time. And it's obvious from the moment they sit down at the piano together that they're a perfect match - if only they could get over their less than perfect past together. The problem with this book, as with many of James's other books - is that she has to ruin a perfectly good and entertaining story by interspersing it with a secondary plot between Lina and Tom that is boring and pointless. I found myself desperately wanting to skip the chapters with them in order to see what was happening with Rees and Helene! The habit she has of doing this is getting more and more annoying!

RATING: 1/2

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"The Corinthian" by Georgette Heyer

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer 1950

Description from back of book:
"The only question which hangs over the life of Sir Richard Wyndham, notable whip, dandy and Corinthian, is one of marriage. On the eve of making the most momentous decision of his life, he is on his way home, a little worse for dirnk, when he chances upon a beautiful young fugitive climbing out of a window by means of knotted sheets - and so finds a perfect opportunity for his own escape..."

This is not one of my favorite of Heyer's books. It's cute enough, yes, and it's well written, but the problem is that there is little to no character development. Heyer spends far too much time in this book on the robbery/murder plot, and not nearly enough in developing the relationship between Pen and Richard. I can completely understand why Pen doesn't believe him when he proposes - there's nothing in the book to let the reader on to the fact he's falling in love with her either!

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