[Review] About a Rogue, by Caroline Linden

Title About A Rogue
Series: Desperately Seeking Duke #1
Author: Caroline Linden
Publisher: Avon
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: June 30th 2020

Synopsis:

The first book in the new series Desperately Seeking Duke from USA Today bestselling and RITA award-winning author Caroline Linden.

It’s no love match…

Bianca Tate is horrified when her sister Cathy is obliged to accept an offer of marriage from Maximilian St. James, notorious rake. Defiantly she helps Cathy elope with her true love, and takes her sister’s place at the altar.

It’s not even the match that was made…

Perched on the lowest branch of his family tree, Max has relied on charm and cunning to survive. But an unexpected stroke of luck gives him an outside chance at a dukedom—and which Tate sister he weds hardly seems to matter.

But could it be the perfect match?

Married or not, Bianca is determined to protect her family’s prosperous ceramics business, even when Max shows an affinity for it—not to mention a dangerous ability to intrigue and tempt Bianca herself. And when Max realizes how beautiful and intelligent and desirable Bianca is, he’ll have to prove he’s no rogue, but the passionately devoted husband she craves…

Review:

I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.

So, I read a few contemporaries before this (some very good, one not so good), and I was in need of a historical that you bring me the will to read again. This book definitely did it.

About a Rogue is an enemies to lovers story, and I have to say I really enjoyed it, as usual with Caroline Linden’s books.

I really liked the main couple, Bianca was just the right amount of fiery, and Max was a wonderful man trying to win his bride over.

There’s a bit of mystery at the end of the story, and I have to be honest – I did not expect that! Which is good, in case anyone is wondering.

Bianca fierce love for her sister and her work was very amazing, and even if her decision to marry Max was made in the spur of the moment, she kept to it, and even if she didn’t want to fall in love, and actually trying to prevent it, she also realized when it was time to just let go, which I really enjoyed, as I prefer stories where people are not so stubborn that they only realize they love one another in a death or life situation.

Max was indeed a rogue, but he’s so much more than that. He’s an intelligent man, with a head for figures, and he’s very good at business adventures. And he also knows how to best engage with Bianca, without ever forcing her or imposing on her, he simply makes himself known, and actually does the work for both the business and the love relationship.

The conflict at the end could have spiralled out of control if handled differently, but I think the author did just the right thing. Yes, Max hid something from Bianca (and her family), but he had a good reason for it, and I like that Bianca is slightly sad that he didn’t trust her, but not exactly hurt, because she understands him and his reasons.

The book ended up being a quick read, and was just right for my mood.

[Review] Get A Life, Chloe Brown, by Talia Hibbert

Title Get A Life, Chloe Brown
Series:The Brown Sisters #1
Author: Talia Hibbert
Publisher: Avon
Number of pages: 373
Publication date: November 5th 2019

Synopsis:

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list.
After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamorous family’s mansion. The next items?

• Enjoy a drunken night out.
• Ride a motorcycle.
• Go camping.
• Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex.
• Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.
• And... do something bad.

But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.

Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.

But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…

Review:


Although this is the first book in the Brown Sisters series, it’s actually the second one I’m reading. I started with Take A Hint, Dani Brown, and now I’ve also read Get A Life, Chloe Brown, which means now I’m anxiously waiting the story of the third sister, Eve.

I really liked this book. I liked how Talia Hibbert showed us Chloe’s physical struggles, but did not bury her personality with them. Which, I think, is exactly the point of the book. By fear, Chloe had let her disease take over her life, but now she felt ready to take back the reins, and “get a life”. In enters Red – Redford Morgan -, the superintendent of her new flat. And Red, with his red hair, his bike, and his art, crawled his way into her heart.

I loved Red. Talia sure knows how to write a great hero. He’s considerate, he’s funny, he’s interesting, and he also has a difficult past, emotionally wise. He’s been hurt, and a bit like Chloe, he hasn’t really learned how to trust after that.

And Chloe decides they can help each other, which developed both a friendship and a romantic relationship between them.

I enjoyed their progress, and the romance, and steamy scenes. I do think the end was quite quick, very neatly tided with a bow. I would have liked maybe a deeper conversation between our main characters, but I did love the little gifts Red gives Chloe, and how they are carefully thought, not just things she would like, but things that she can actually use.

All in all, it was a great book. Romantic, and adventurous, and funny, and mostly a story about having courage, and being brave enough to go after what we really want out of our lives. A lesson we sometimes forget in the middle of life actually passing by us.

[Review] Take A Hint, Dani Brown, by Talia Hibbert

Title: Take A Hint, Dani Brown
Series: The Brown Sisters #2
Author: Talia Hibbert
Publisher: Avon
Number of pages: 320
Publication date: June 23rd 2020

Synopsis:

Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral...

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

Review:

I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.

I know this is the second book in a series, and I haven’t read the first one (yet! I’ve bought today so, it should be read soon!) but I couldn’t resist the premise.

I finished the book at 1 a.m. today. It made me feel all the feels. I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to write a proper review, as I’m still with that “in love” feeling.

This book has a cinnamon roll hero. I mean… I’m totally in love with Zafir Ansari. He’s a Muslim, former rugby player, who reads romance novels. I mean…do I need to say anything else?

I loved how Talia Hibbert was so real. She shows real struggles and real achievements, and she does it in such a caring way.

Danika Brown is a fierce, PhD. student and a university teacher. She is a sexy, confident, and awesome bisexual – except she doesn’t do “feelings”. And Zaf is more in touch with his feelings than most, as he had to deal with mental health issues, and knows how important it is to recognize how we feel, and accept it. So, when these two decide to fake a relationship to help Zaf’s charity, and add benefits to that same relationship, things start to change.

Dani never really had someone (besides her sisters and her best friends) that understood her, and actually cared about her and her work – because that’s a whole package. And the people she knew before, they didn’t get how important that was to her, and at the same she didn’t recognize their feelings (I’m looking at Jo, not at Mateo, to be clear). She did try, when she thought she was in love, and when that went wrong, she decided no long term thing for her, just give her a f*ck buddy, and she’ll be happy. But Zaf is more than that. He’s a friend, and he actually pays attention to her, and when things change between them Dani is scared.

And Zaf gets it. Late, but he does. Zaf is an amazing guy, who has dealt, and continually deals with mental health problems, and he’s created this amazing charity where he teaches young boys to accept and recognize their feelings and their struggles, without toxic masculinity – go Zaf!

I loved the hot, sexy times, but most of all I loved to see their relationship grow, and seeing Dani and Zaf being recognized by their separate works, it’s inspiring. And Dani’s gesture, at the end of the book? If I had already melted for our hero, this made me completely adore our heroine, because she respected his love of romance books, and made a gesture with them for him – not because she had to or he asked her to, but because she wanted to and knew it would make him happy.

Because that’s the goal in a romantic relationship, isn’t it? To be with someone not because you have to, but because you want to, and you are happy to be with them, and do nice things for them, again, not because you have to or feel obliged to do it, but because it gives makes you happy to make them happy.

[Review] The Worst Best Man, by Mia Sosa

Title The Worst Best Man
Series: --
Author: Mia Sosa
Publisher: Avon
Number of pages: 368
Publication date: February 4th 2020

Synopsis:

A wedding planner left at the altar. Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina’s managed to make other people’s dreams come true as a top-tier wedding coordinator in DC. After impressing an influential guest, she’s offered an opportunity that could change her life. There’s just one hitch… she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials.

Tired of living in his older brother’s shadow, marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he’ll be working with his brother’s whip-smart, stunning—absolutely off-limits—ex-fiancée. And she loathes him.

If they can survive the next few weeks and nail their presentation without killing each other, they’ll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina’s ready to dish out a little payback of her own.

But even the best laid plans can go awry, and soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn’t interested in falling in love and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again...

Review:


This book is written by a Brazilian author, and I had a great time reading it, and reading a bit of Brazilian Portuguese.

The Worst Best Man has an “enemies to lovers” trope, although I don’t really think Max and Lina were enemies per se, but more Lina hated him for something they both believed he had caused, even if he hasn’t the one to actually do the deed.

Max is charming, funny, caring, and very good at his marketing job. Lina is a sexy, emotional, resilient, funny, hard-working wedding planner. And Lina was engaged to Max’s brother. Literally, they broke up on the wedding day – Andrew sent Max a text to tell Lina it was over. Classy, right?

Anyway, Max and Lina have to work together to create a pitch for Lina’s dream job, and pretty much Max’s dream job as well. Which means they have to put their differences aside and work together to “sell” Lina as the best wedding planner for a rich hotel.

As they start to get along, they go to visit a wedding venue, and… oh no, the car broke down, and they have to stay there, and there’s only one room for a couple, so of course they decide to share but there’s only one bed. Another great trope.

I really liked the way the author introduced the change in pace between our couple, how they are slight enemies, to friends, to lovers, to and actual couple.

The event at the wedding venue was a touch of genius to get the characters to open up without forcing them and to give us readers both inside in the life of WOC (Women of Colour), “A Black woman isn’t justifiably upset, she’s angry. A Latinx person confronts someone, they’re fiery or feisty. I don’t like raising my voice in public, Max. There’s too much baggage associated with it. A woman gets emotional in the workplace, she’s irrational and not fit for leadership.”, and a male character who recognizes his privileged and own prejudice, "I’m a White man, and I’m embarrassed to realize that none of this would have occurred to me if Lina hadn’t forced me to see it. It’s a privilege I take for granted—the ability to be who I want and say what I want no matter the space I’m in."

This was a funny, steamy, enlightening rom-com, with great touches of Brazilian culture, from capoeira to brigadeiros, and it really was a joy to read it.

[Review] Would I Lie to the Duke, by Eva Leigh

Title Would I Lie to the Duke
Series: Union of the Rakes #2
Author: Eva Leigh
Publisher: Avon
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: August 25th 2020

Synopsis:

When an ambitious entrepreneur pretends to be a lady of means, she catches the eye—and heart—of a duke...

Jessica McGale's family business desperately needs investors, and she's determined to succeed at any cost. But she knows London's elite will never look twice at a humble farm girl like herself. Posing as “Lady Whitfield,” however, places her in the orbit of wealthy, powerful people—most notably the Duke of Rotherby. His influence and support could save her company, but Jess never expected the effect he'd have on her.

Society thinks Noel is a notorious, carefree duke who dabbles in investments, but there's a side to him that only his closest friends see. When he crosses paths with Lady Whitfield at a business bazaar, his world tilts on its axis. She's brilliant and compelling, and brings him to his knees like no woman has before. Trust is difficult for Noel, but Jess makes him believe anything is possible...

As time ticks down on her Cinderella scheme, the thought of achieving her goal at Noel's expense breaks Jess' heart. He doesn't just want her now, he wants her forever. But will her secret end their future before it begins?

Review:

I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.

Would I Lie To The Duke is a book I had a hard time describing how it made me feel, for a very simple reason: I hate liars. [I like the fake relationship trope because both characters are aware and in on it]. And yet, I enjoyed this book quite a bit, with the exception of the moments I was reminded that Jess was lying, because she had several opportunities to tell the truth.

But let's start at the begging. Jess's family is in trouble and they might lose their livelihood, which is why she became a companion and is searching for people who will sell her family's soap in London, as well as invest in their factory.

Cue the Bazaar. A place where wealthy people look for their next profitable investments. It would be a dream to be able to present her project there.

After being rejected by Bond Street vendors, Jess meets (at a distance) the also investor and savvy Duke of Rotherby, Noel. And luck has it, he is one of the Bazaar's investors.

So, when Jess decides to try her luck, he is there, and she presents herself as a Lady, even though she is truly a commoner, a farm girl as she describes herself.

She continues her lie during the whole Bazaar, and her acquaintance with Noel, even when he tells her he feels so happy with her because she doesn't lie, and she doesn't want anything from him. She had several opportunities to tell him the truth. Not necessarily to the Bazaar people, but to him at least. And she abandons him after he pretty much pours his heart out. I was heartbroken for Noel.

In the end, I enjoyed the book, but ended up with the feeling that maybe they shouldn't be together. Jess had her reasons to lie, but that still could have changed as they got to know each other.

I was always disappointed with Jess when she failed to tell him the truth. I think he would have understood (as he did in the end) but suffered less if she had been honest. And I believe he would have helped her, if only she had asked. My favourite part (with the exception of the very sexy, very steamy sex scenes) was when Jess' siblings told her she didn't need to be doing all of that on her own. I think she really needed that bucket of cold water to take her down from the mind-set of "I'm essential, nothing will work without me". Because that's the feeling I got when she said to herself, she was doing it for family, they needed her, who would take care of them? But they were all grown ups. So.... there was a lot of lack of communication that could have helped so much.

I did like Noel quite a bit, as well as his friends. He was intelligent, business savvy, he cared about his tenants. Yes, he used to be quite a rake, but he never forgot his responsibilities. He admired other smart minds, no matter their gender. And he had a crooked smile, who can resist that?

I'm sure that when you read this, you'll think I didn't really enjoy the book, but that's a lie. Even with its problems, I laughed out loud several times as I was reading it, I loved the sexy moments, I really enjoyed a business/inventions background to the story, and I did like at least one of the main characters, which was enough to get me through the book with me cheering for Noel the whole time.

Steamy, great hero, and it left me curious about the other men in the Union of Rakes circle.