"The Earl's Dilemma" by Emily May

From Amazon.com: 

James Hargrave, Earl of Arden, urgently needed a wife--and who better than his best friend's sister?
He wasn't looking for passion in this marriage of convenience and plain Kate Honeycourt had been on the shelf for years.
Why, then, should she so firmly turn him down? Surely she couldn't be holding out for a love match? Although, curiously, the more he saw of Kate, the more aware he became of her attractions. Maybe love wasn't as impossible as he'd once thought....

I picked this book up on the recommendation of a friend, and I am very glad I did. Emily May has created a lovely tale of falling in love, and I enjoyed it greatly. One thing that seems to be missing in many romance books of today is that the reader sees the hero and heroine fall in love. (More in the paranormal/urban arena than in others, but still.) Instead, characters suffer from "instant sexual attraction" that seems to serve as love. Frankly, I enjoy the process of the characters getting to know each other and to appreciate each other. 

James and Kate start the story on a terrible note for both of them--he needs to marry to keep his inheritance, and Kate, after overhearing a private conversation not meant for her ears, is determined to help him find a proper wife, though she's loved him for years. Both characters have to learn a few things about themselves as Kate helps James find a wife, and herein lies the story. 

I will pick up the next book by Ms. May with anticipation, and I wish her a long and prosperous career.

Rating: 4 stars

"Angel's Blood" and "Angel's Pawn" by Nalini Singh

From Amazon.com:

FIRST IN THE GUILD HUNTER SERIES from -a major new talent- (CHRISTINE FEEHAN).Nalini Singh introduces readers to a world of beauty and bloodlust, where angels hold sway over vampires.Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael. But this time, it-s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It-s an archangel gone bad.The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other-and pull her to the razor-s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn-t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael-s seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break.

I've not read Nalini Singh's work before, though I had heard of her Psy-Changeling series, recommended by other reader friends. I chose to pick up "Angel's Blood," as well as the companion novella, "Angel's Pawn," because this was the start of a new series, and a good jumping on place for me.

I'll admit, when a story involves heavenly characters--angels and demons, that is--I am always a bit wary. If an author writes the characters like they could have appeared in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, all is good. If they try to mold their story a more Biblical mold, it's not for me. I take my faith very seriously.

Having said that, Ms. Singh writes "angels" in the Buffy mold. (As in, excellent characters, in interesting situations, with some deeper moral and ethical questions motivating them through it all.) These are excellent tales, and I will certainly snap up "Archangel's Kiss" come Feb. 2.

No spoilers, but I found all of the characters to be fascinating, and I very much enjoyed how Ms. Nalini illustrated what might happen to immortals who lose more of their humanity (as much as they had, anyway) every passing year. Very well done.

A couple of comments--Ms. Singh told us what the vampires wore, and what Elena wore, but the angels--I would have liked to know more of what these fine feathered folks were wearing. Michaella's clothing was described, yes. But  what does an angel wear when flying around the city? Some of us humans would really like to know. Also, where did angels come from in the first place? (I hope this is something we discover in future books.) I'd love to know the mythology of the race, and a bit more of their history.

My rating: 5 stars

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

From Amazon.com and Publisher's Weekly:

Six young men and women are called to protect the living world from the dead in Hieber's Gothic romance debut. Mysterious powers give Alexi and his peers the mission of keeping the restless dead in line and seeking a prophesied seventh guardian. Miss Percy Parker, an albino orphan with a talent for languages, fills none of their expectations, but Alexi is drawn to her all the same. Hieber draws Victorian London as beautiful and grim, with depictions of Jack the Ripper as a nightmarish many-headed hound alongside charming descriptions of the Athens Academy, Percy's boarding school, and Greek mythology that smartly draws together various elements of the story. The supporting characters are nuanced and appealing but given short shrift by the narrow focus on Percy and Alexi, though future sequels may give them more room to play. Hieber's debut shows great potential, and readers will want to revisit her intriguing world.
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"The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker" is a beautifully written story, one I very much enjoyed. Leanna Hieber writes the most lovely prose, and conveys such a sense of atmosphere with her words. Truly marvelous. The closest book I can think of to compare to "Percy," a book with the same Gothic fantasy tone, is "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman. I applaud the author for her delicate, delicious writing.

I won't say too much to spoil the plot of this one, because this is a special book. But while I loved the character of Percy Parker,  I think I love Alexi Rychman more. He is steadfast, unselfish, and powerfully loyal to his friends and the work he has been given to do. Because of that, I think that his longtime friends should have trusted his judgement when it counted. I am hopeful that they find a way to make amends in the sequel. 

Rating: 5 stars

Dangerous Highlander

From Amazon.com:

"First in a breathtaking new series, the bold and passionate Lucan MacLeod—one of three brothers cursed by dark magic for eternity—is driven by desire for the one woman he dare not let himself possess…

He is magnificently strong—and dangerously seductive. One of the fiercest of his clan, Lucan MacLeod is a legend among warriors, inspiring fear in man and woman alike. For three hundred years, he has locked himself away from the world, hiding the vengeful god imprisoned in his soul. But then, a young lass caught in a raging storm awakens his deepest impulses…and darkest desires.

Cara doesn’t believe the rumors about MacLeod castle—until the majestic Highland warrior appears like a fiery vision in the storm, pulling her into his powerful arms, and into his world of magic and Druids. An epic war between good and evil is brewing. And Lucan must battle his all-consuming attraction for Cara—or surrender to the flames of a reckless, impossible love that threatens to destroy them both…"


"Dangerous Highlander" was a book I was very excited to read, given the premise. It is very difficult to find good paranormal romances, at least for me, because as a regular science fiction and fantasy reader, often I find the paranormal romance world-building to be lacking in depth. And given the fact that this concept--that ancient "gods" are held captive in certain Highland warriors, and that an evil Druid wants to find a way to harness their power for her own purposes--was refreshing, because it didn't involve vampires or  werewolves. (Not that I don't love vampires and werewolves, but still.)

The story has some very good points. The concept is indeed fresh, and Ms. Grant has created some interesting characters. Having said that, I did find her world-building to be a bit iffy, as characters often had to throw in extra explanations over such pivotal plot points as "Dierdre is a drough, not a druid, and Cara is a druid, not a drough." As 300 year-old warriors who had long fought Dierdre and had been held in her castle for years on end, I expected that most of these men would have had a very firm grasp of who Dierdre was, as well as the lore of the druids. If they didn't know before they became warriors, they would certainly have the time and abilities to find out. And they would most assuredly have had a motivation to do so.

Also, the love story part of this book did not work for me...I never felt the connection. I suspect this was because this book was really more of a mix of romance and epic fantasy. The epic qualities meant that Ms. Grant had to focus on a grand theme, and move many characters around in her story to give them their time on the stage, and because of this, it seemed that the focus on the relationship between Cara and Lucan suffered. (Others will think differently, I'm sure.)

This is a series I will not continue to read, unfortunately. I must say, however, that I simply adore the cover!

Rating: 3 stars