Book: How to Ravish a Rake by Vicky Dreiling

Rating: 8/10

People say opposites attract.. and in this case, they are right! Amy is in her last season and is determined to shed her wallflower image. Meanwhile, Will is a rake who likes to travel a lot, leaving his family to cut off his funds to curb his "devilish" ways. Will decides to go against them and try high-stakes gambling to win enough funds to go off again. He loses 20,000 pounds and him and his friends cook up a scheme to have him marry an heiress to cover the debt and then he can go off traveling with his friends. However, everyone know of Will and his "devilish" ways, so Amy sees right though his charming manipulative ways. But when a scandal leaves them in a compromising situation, these two are forced to marry to avoid scandal. How do they both deal with their marriage life? Can they learn to trust one another?

Pros: I fell in love with Will's family... especially Aunt Hester and her bluntness. I also liked the fact that her friends were there for her. I had some laughs and even some tears. The story was touching and sweet.
Cons: I felt the supporting characters could have been developed more. The story introduced Georgette and Beau, and a lot of pages were dedicated to them, however, by the end of the story, they were hardly mentioned. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. I was hoping for a bit more about their life afterwards - an epilogue of some sort.

All in all, this story was quite entertaining. I would've loved to read more about Will's crazy family and the children.

Favorite parts:

Amy met her gaze and dared to hope her friend’s words would come true. “I’ve missed you.”
Julianne smiled. “I’ve missed all of you as well. We had such fun last season. My husband has never let me forget all of the trouble I caused. He is still suspicious of all of you and believes you influenced me—especially you, Amy.”
“Me?” She laughed. “I always tried to caution all of you.”
Julianne grinned. “He is convinced that you instigated the worst schemes. He believes you hid it all behind your quiet façade.”
Georgette grinned. “Amy, you often have this look in your eyes, as if the cogs and wheels are spinning like a
roulette wheel.”
“I do not,” she said.
Sally shook her head. “It’s true, Amy. While everyone else is chattering like monkeys, you look as if you’re
plotting something.”
“I’m not plotting; I’m thinking.”
“Now there is a euphemism if I ever heard one,” Georgette said.



Julianne said. “...Now I must return to my husband. We cannot stay long, because I must return home to nurse Emma.”
“I cannot wait to see your daughter,” Amy said. “I’m sure she’s beautiful.”
Julianne laughed. “According to my husband, she’s the most beautiful bald-headed lady in London.”



“The first time we met, I formed a low opinion of you. I
regret to inform you that you have just sunk even further in
my estimation.”




Georgette said. “I won’t marry until I cannot eat a bite and swoon at the mere thought of my beloved.”
Amy laughed. “Where did you get such silly notions of falling in love?”
Georgette grinned. “Well, that’s the way Suzanne described her feelings for my brother. But then, she’s a silly goose, and I am far too reasonable for such nonsense. I shall probably end up a spinster with a dozen cats.”



“Aunt Hester, thank you for receiving me,” he said.
She lifted her quizzing glass. “Shocking.”
He grinned. “What?”
“Your eyes aren’t glowing red, and I see no traces of horns or a forked tail.” Hester dropped her quizzing glass.



“Patience has four boys, including Peter, who helpfully waters my mother’s hothouse flowers.”
Amy smiled. “He uses a watering pot?”
“No. Peter is like a dog—only he prefers his grandmother’s flowers rather than trees.”
...
“That boy will be the death of me,” Montague said. “Where is that nurse?”
“Probably writing her resignation letter as we speak,” Hester said. “Who can blame her?”
“Oh, dear,” the dowager countess said. “What must you think of us, Miss Hardwick?”
Hester ambled to the rail and looked down. “No doubt she thinks we’re all dicked in the nob.”
“Hester, please mind your language,” the dowager countess said.

“Bah,” Hester said. “Come along, gel. We don’t bite. Well, one of his Patience’s brats does, but I forget which one. They’re all horrid.”
“Hester, they are my children and your great-nephews,” Patience cried.
“Not by choice,” Hester said.
...
When they reached the landing, Harmony offered to check on the nurse. “She is no doubt quivering in fear for her position.”
“It’s a miracle the woman has lasted this long,” Hester said. She regarded Amy. “Patience’s youngest brat,
Thomas, tried to scalp her last week.”
“He did not,” Patience said. “He only cut a small lock.”
“We should have named him Mischief,” Montague grumbled.



“Are you Scottish, dear?” Grandmamma shouted.
Will smiled as Amy shook her head. Grandmamma thought anyone with red hair must be Scottish.
“I always liked those kilts the Scotsmen wear,” Grandmamma hollered.
“What she really wants to know is what they wear or don’t wear underneath those kilts,” Hester said.
“Oh, Hester, we do not speak of such things,” the dowager countess cried.
Hester snorted and adjusted the tall feather in her turban.



“Maybe they should fight for her,” Aunt Hester said. “You know, like those stags that lock horns.”
“Hester, please,” the dowager countess said. “They are not animals.”
“They’re men; not much difference,” Hester said.
“Why must you say such things?” the dowager countess said.
“Because it’s true,” Hester said. “I’ve had five husbands, you know.”

Book: Girl on a Diamond Pedestal by Maisey Yates

Rating: 8/10

When the people who are supposed to love you most betray you, what do you do? Do you seek revenge like Ethan Grey? Or simply sit in denial and hope that when you wake up tomorrow, it is all a dream like Noelle Birch?

The main characters in this book have both had tough lives due to the selfishness of their parents. Noelle, the piano prodigy, was once a girl who had it all - fame and money. All of that disappeared when she started selling less CDs and her mother bankrupted her and left. Meanwhile, Ethan, a billionaire in the hotel industry, hates his father for abandoning him and his mother to go meet up his mistress... who happened to be... wait for it... Noelle's mother!

So when Noelle is about to lose the only property she has in her name, Ethan steps in to make a proposal: Marry him and she gets to keep her house free and clear. What starts out as a business deal, quickly changes to become something more. However, with their jaded past, can they learn to trust one another?

Pros: I found the plot interesting. I loved the interactions between the characters. They learn and grow together and I can really feel their bond strengthening.

Cons: I found the ending a bit lacking. I was hoping to read more about what happened to Noelle's mother and Ethan's father. I wanted to see them regret their selfish choices.

Book: Proof By Seduction by Courtney Milan

Rating: 7/10

What happens when a logical scientist marquess finds out his cousin has been consorting with a gypsy-like fortuneteller? He does what every scientist does! He analyzes the situation and tries to prove she is a fraud! In this battle of wits, who will win?

The book held so much promise and yet... I find myself bored at some parts. There are many worthwhile parts to the story.. such as the seduction and the way the main characters try to outsmart one another. However, I find myself bored when it came to Ned's roles. I suppose his depression was killing the mood for me.

Pros: Interesting plot. Witty.

Cons: A bit boring at parts - Ned's story. I never did find out much about the fortuneteller's family.


Favorite Parts: 

Madness, a physician had once told Gareth, was repeating the same events over and over while hoping for a different result. That was why Gareth had no fear he would fall in love, no matter what Madame Esmerelda predicted for him. Love was watching his sister choke back tears.
Love hoped that month after month, she would continue to issue invitations. And love believed, against all evidence, that one day, he would get it right, that he would learn to talk to her as a brother instead of the cold, unfeeling man she must have believed him to be.
In short, love was madness.



His Grace waited in the front parlor. He was in shirtsleeves, as if he couldn’t bother to dress for Ned. A
book was open on his lap. He didn’t look up when Ned entered. Instead, he continued to pretend to read. And a pretense it obviously was. Aside from the carefully timed turning of the pages, the Duke of Ware stared at the pages blankly, his eyes unmoving, his hands strangling the spine of the book. It was precisely the sort of thing Blakely would do—ignore a man to put him in his place.
Ned balanced from foot to foot in indecision. He didn’t want to antagonize the man. But then again, it wasn’t as if the duke could hate him more. And he couldn’t bear waiting for his life to happen to him. No; from this point onward, he would direct the course of his life.
He stepped forward and grabbed the book from His Grace’s hands. “I apologize for the precipitate behavior,” he said. “You see, you’re either going to have to kill me or allow me to talk with your daughter. I’m very difficult to ignore.”
Ware’s face slowly mottled an unflattering orange as he looked up. “Blazing pitch and sulfur! You’ve ignored me. Twice, now, we’ve been scheduled to meet. Twice, now, Blakely convinced me not to hunt you down. I demand satisfaction.”
“We all want satisfaction, Your Grace. Unfortunately, most of us are doomed to disappointment.”
“Pistols or swords, you bounder!”
Ned shook his head. “I’m not going to fight you. If it comes down to it, I prefer pistols. Through the heart, please. I’d prefer not to linger from a gut wound.”
“Confounded goat-lover! Puling rabbit!”
This was an easily recognizable pattern. Ned grasped at it.
“Ridiculous weasel?” he assayed.
Ware clenched his fists. “Impudent worm!”
“Five-toed chicken! Ravenous strawberry!”
That brought Ware up. “What? What did you call me?”
“Oh, were you calling me those names?” Ned replied innocently. “I thought we were playing a game. You know, irrelevant adjective applied to inexplicable noun. You know how it goes. First to string together a coherent sentence loses.”

Book: Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise

Rating: 10/10

Where can you find true love? Somewhere between a bunch of bets, Chicken Marsala, a jealous ex-boyfriend, a determined psychologist/ex-girlfriend, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, great shoes, baseball, a freakishly smart "mutant" cat, snow globes, and a bunch of theories. xD
Min has just been dumped by her "perfect boyfriend", David. At that same bar, her two best friends decide it's time for her to move on and dare her to talk to Cal. Unknowingly, David bets Cal ten bucks Min won't go out with him and ten thousand dollars Cal can't get Min to sleep with him. Min overhears this bet and is furious. And here is where our story begins...

I love love love this story. I couldn't put it down from beginning to end. It kept me on my toes and all the sweet little incidences made me smile and laugh out loud. This author is quite promising and I can't wait to read her other works.


Pros: The banter between the main characters are adorable. He is patient and charming while she is trying hard to be cold and nonchalant. I love the relationship between the friends. Lots of stories don't develop the supporting character's roles such as the friends. (ROFL the smacks Liza throws at Cal for kissing Min. It's hilarious.) There were lots of funny parts (such as the phone call between Cal and his mother, which I included in the excerpts below.) There were interesting theories to discover too (The butterfly effect, the chaos theory, the edge of chaos, etc.)
Cons: I honestly can't think of anything I don't like about this book.

SO many favorite parts in the story... Here's some:

Bonnie patted Min's arm. "It's a good thing he broke up with you because now you're free for when the
right man finds you. Your prince is on his way."
"Right," Min said. "I'm sure he was on his way but a truck hit him."
"That's not how it works." Bonnie leaned on the bar, looking like an R-rated pixie. "If it's meant to be,
he'll make it. No matter how many things go wrong, he'll come to you and you'll be together forever."
"What is this?" Liza said, looking at her in disbelief. "Barbie's Field of Dreams?"
"That's sweet, Bonnie," Min said. "But as far as I'm concerned, the last good man died when Elvis went."
"Maybe we should rethink keeping Bon as our broker," Liza said to Min. "We could be major
stockholders in the Magic Kingdom by now."



"Calvin?" he heard his mother say, but even she was better than the silence.
"Mother," he said. "How are you?" His toast popped, and he cradled the phone between his shoulder
and his ear as he opened the peanut butter.
"I'm calling about dinner on Sunday," she said.
"I will be there, Mother," Cal said, thinking,I'm there the third Sunday of every month, Mother .
Definitely in a rut.
"I'd like you to pick up our guest."
"Guest?" Cal said, as he got out a table knife to spread the peanut butter.
"Minerva Dobbs," his mother said.
"What?" Cal said and dropped the knife.
"I called her because Harrison has been speaking of her often, and it occurred to me that it would be
nice for him to have her there."
Cal sighed. "What did she say when you called?"
"She seemed surprised," his mother said. "But when I explained that Harrison would be so pleased if she
came—"
"She said yes," Cal said, reaching for his toast. "However, I cannot bring her because I will not be seeing
her ever aga—" His fingers brushed the metal top of the toaster and he burned himself and dropped the
phone. "Damn it," he said and put his scorched fingertips in his mouth.
"Calvin?" his mother said from the phone.
He picked up the receiver. "I burned myself on the toaster. Sorry." Cal turned on the cold water and
stuck his fingers underneath the stream. "Anyway, I will not be seeing Minerva Dobbs again." He stepped
away from the sink onto something hard and his foot slipped out from under him and smacked into the
cabinets. "Ouch."
"Calvin?" his mother said.
"I stepped on a knife." Cal bent to pick up the peanut butter knife and smacked his head into the
counter. "Hell."
"Did you cut yourself?" his mother asked.
"No. I..." He put the knife in the sink. "I'll call you tomorrow, Mother."
"Calvin?" his mother said, and he hung up on her and considered the situation.




The Butterfly Effect, he remembered that, the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in Hong Kong could
cause a hurricane ten years later in Florida or prevent a tornado ten years later in Texas, take your pick
because it was unpredictable. That was Min; she'd looked harmless that first night, and then she flapped
her wings two weeks ago and now he was a mess. She was a goddamn stealth butterfly.



"So how's Roger?" Min said, more than willing to have somebody else be the topic at hand.
"He is The One," Bonnie said. "He's going to propose in a couple of weeks and I'll say yes. I told my
mama to plan the wedding for August."
"He told you he's going to propose?" Cynthie said, and when Bonnie looked at her, surprised, she said,
"I'm writing a book on this. It's none of my business, but I am interested."
"Oh," Bonnie said. "Well, no, he hasn't told me. I just know."
Min tried to look supportive, but the silence that settled over them must have reeked of skepticism
because Bonnie turned back to the field and called Roger's name. When he came trotting over to them,
she said, "Honey, are you going to ask me to marry you?"
"Yes," he said. "I didn't want to rush you, so I thought I'd wait till our one-month anniversary. It's only
eleven days."
"Very sensible," Bonnie said. "Just so you know, I'm going to say yes."
Roger sighed. "That takes a lot of the worry out of it." He leaned over and kissed her and went back to
the field.
"That was either really sweet or really annoying," Liza said.



"Are you going out tonight?" Liza asked.
"Yes, but just as friends," Min said. "He's doing me a favor. We're going to my mother's so she can stop
worrying about him being a vile seducer."
Liza shook her head, looking doubtful. "I don't think meeting Cal is going to reassure your mother."
"Why not? Elvis likes him. And Elvis has very good instincts."
"Elvis?" Liza said, sounding alarmed.
"The cat. I named him Elvis," Min said.
Liza sighed. "ThankGod. I thought you'd finally cracked."



Min's father met them in the hall, a lumbering man with a shock of blond hair and heavy white eyebrows
who should have been hearty and welcoming but instead had the vaguely paranoid look of a sheepdog
whose sheep were plotting against him.



When they were in the car, she said, "Okay, give me the cheat sheet for your parents."
"There is none," Cal said. "They will be very polite but not warm. We don't have to chill the wine at
home, the atmosphere does it for us."



"I was just relieved because I thought you were never going to want to see me again. I'm positive your family doesn't want to."
Cal put the key in the ignition and started the car. "Oh, some of them do."
"Harry." Min leaned back in her seat, and tried to think about something else besides kissing him. "That's
just because I gave him my ice cream."
Cal slowed the car. "He had yours and his?"
"Yes," Min said. "He said he didn't throw up ice cream."
"He lied." Cal stopped the car. "It's sugar in general that makes him sick."
"Do we have to go back?" Min said, alarmed.
"Christ, no." Cal pulled out his cell phone. When he'd warned Bink about the imminent vomiting, he
started the car again.
"Great, I poisoned her kid," Min said. "Now she hates me, too."
"No. She knows Harry and the cons he pulls for sugar. She likes you."
"She didn't look like it."
"No, she really likes you," Cal said as he pulled out into the street. "She offered me a hundred thousand
dollars to marry you."
"What?" Min laughed. "I didn't think she had a sense of humor."
"She does, but she wasn't joking. She can afford it." Cal picked up speed as they left his parents' street
and sighed. "ThankGod, we're out of there."

"Wait a minute," Min said, not laughing. "She honestly offered you—"
"She's been going to dinner there every Sunday for ten years," Cal said. "That was the first one she
enjoyed. When you figure that my parents are in their fifties and likely to be around for at least another
thirty years, she's looking at a minimum of sixteen hundred more miserable Sundays. That's her estimate.
Add in holiday dinners, and she says a hundred K would come out to about sixty dollars a dinner, which
is a real bargain in her book." He thought about it. "Actually, that's a bargain in my book, too, although
nothing on this earth could get me there every Sunday."
"My Lord," Min said.
"Plus Harry's been singing 'Hunka hunka burning love' since we went to lunch yesterday. She said the
expressions on my parents' faces alone were worth a hundred grand."



Cal said from the couch, "The cat knows how to turn on the stereo?"
"He knows the power button," she called back. "And replay, unfortunately. I heard 'Love Me Tender'
four times last night before I took the CD out."



"What are you guys doing?" Tony said, coming up out of the dark and scaring them both into shrieks.
"Standing around waiting to get mugged?"
"And now our wait is over?" Min said, trying to get her breath back.
"Cal sent me," Tony said. "He doesn't like you walking home alone. So you get me."
"You don't have to," Min said.
"Are you kidding? I'm with two hot women in the dark," Tony said. "By the time I'm finished retelling this
in my head, it's going to be phenomenal."



"Who are you again?" Cal said. "Because you look like this woman who keeps hitting me, but you seem
to be on my side. Do you have an evil twin?"
"I'm Min's fairy godmother, Charm Boy," Liza said, frowning down at him. "And if you don't give her a
happily ever after, I'm going to come back and beat you to death with a snow globe."
"What happened to 'bibbity bobbity boo'?" Cal asked Min.
"That was Disney, honey," Min said. "It wasn't a documentary."

Book: Blackmailed by the Beast by Sam Crescent

Rating: 7/10

This story is about a girl who was blackmailed into marrying "the Beast". The girl is very much like Cinderella who was hated by her family. Both characters have had an unhappy childhood but they didn't let it beat out their will to make a better life for themselves. I thought that was inspiring. Other than that, there isn't much to say about the story. It was a pretty good read.
Pros: I enjoyed how they mixed Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast into the story.
Cons: The pace of the story was a bit too fast. Everything fell into place too quickly and a bit too easily.
What's interesting about this story is the epilogue is more like an introduction to the next book.

Book: An Unwilling Bride by Jo Beverley

Rating: 5/10

It seemed like a promising story plot, but I was deeply disappointed. I was looking forward to a story about how 2 unwilling people get together and the guy first falls for the girl and after they are married, he tries to get her to fall for him. However, all I read about was a supposed independent woman who becomes so terrified about her future husband and a man who is constantly thinking about going to war, but isn't allowed to because the Earl, "his father" won't let him without him first making some grandsons for the Earl first. At first, I was drawn to the sad story about the Earl and his wife. But even that wasn't enough for me to condemn the father figure in this story. He shows no love for his bastard daughter or his "son" for that matter.
Pros: It was an ok story. Seemed interesting enough. I liked some of the characters, such as the White Dove who is a strong actress and won't back down from a challenge. She was the mistress of the main guy but she feels no jealousy or hatred towards the main girl even though she is/was in love with the main guy. Although, I must say I enjoyed the quote and philosophical banter between the main characters (even though I'd enjoy it more if I read the books they were talking about).
Cons: I was bored to tears and skipped many parts (since it was about war and it got boring and confusing). Also, the relationship of the couple is just odd - it is not the volatile passionate type, but a hot and cold type. It doesn't feel like they are in love. I agree every relationship has its ups and downs but this is ridiculous. He often threatens to hurt her when something doesn't go his way. Oh, and the one thing I was ABSOLUTELY PISSED ABOUT... HE HIT HER AND SHE FORGAVE HIM JUST LIKE THAT *snaps fingers*. I absolutely can not stand that. He backhanded her somewhere near the end of the story and even though it was a misunderstanding and he keeps saying sorry and that he won't ever do it again, it is annoying how the main girl claims to be an independent but she totally just just acts like it's not a big deal. Agreeably, at that period of time, a woman is basically a man's position, but it still annoys me to no end. And of course, the story seems to carry too much, too fast - especially at the end where it feels like it was hurried. The pace of the story was not (sorry for the lack of a better word...) paced out. It starts off slow, but then too much happened in too little time and everything was rushed to a conclusion.

Book: Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

A different kind of romance novel - Unclaimed by Courtney Milan is a very lengthy story about s jaded courtesan must seduce a virgin celebrity and ruin his reputation, but didn't count on falling in love with him instead.

Rating: 7/10

Pros: I was touched by the courtesan character and her belief that happiness was not for her. There are many parts in the novel that showed me her strength and how she was willing to fight for her survival. While there are many bad things that happen to her, she has always found a way to survive and venture forward. It is a good lesson to learn.
Cons: I felt the story was a bit long - While I enjoyed the fact that the author has covered many angles of the story as a whole (SPOILERS AHEAD... For example - getting her family to acknowledge her again, taking care of the antagonist and the threats he offered, and avoiding a scandal their marriage would have caused because of their class difference), I felt the story was a bit slow paced. I was disappointed in the beginning where she was supposed to seduce him.


My favorite part in the story (Yes, I know it isn't about the romance between the main characters, but I thought it was adorable and it showed the brotherly love through their teasing):

“Here.” He pulled out the bundle—it was wriggling, and that made it feel twice as heavy—and held it
out.
Smite simply stared at him. “Dear God,” he said finally. “What is that thing?”
“Somewhere in the furthest reaches of your voluminous memory, you will recall seeing similar
creatures.”
“Yes,” Smite said, gingerly extending a finger. “Perhaps. Somewhat similar creatures. But in all my
prior experience, I have generally encountered puppies that have…eyes. Not great mounds of fur, topped by
a big black nose.” He parted the gray fur on its head, almost tentatively. “Good Lord. There are eyes in there
after all.”
Mark thrust the bundle out; Smite took it, his face a pattern of bemusement. “What sort is it?”
It was all long fur, gray everywhere except the white of its feet and chest. “It’s the progeny of the most
capable sheepdog in all of Somerset. But don’t think you need to rush out and purchase a flock. The owner
tested it for herding instinct. Apparently, it failed utterly, thinking it much more interesting to turn up grass.”
“Hmm.” Smite set the animal down, where it stood on clumsy legs. “And I suppose you thought I needed
a puppy to dribble on the floor? You imagined I wanted a beast that would demand to be taken on great
circuits of the surrounding areas? You wanted to make me a slave to sticks thrown and sticks fetched?
Have you any notion how much work a dog is?” His words were harsh, but his tone was light, and he gently
caressed the little dog, who immediately sank its teeth into his cuff. Smite tried to pull his hand back, but the
dog dug its claws in and growled in mock play. “Don’t tell me. This is all part of a clever plan to see my
shoes chewed to bits.”
“Not in the least,” Mark informed him. “I didn’t think you needed a dog. I thought the dog needed you.”
Smite looked up, his expression momentarily stricken. He looked down at the dog. “Thank you,” he
said quietly. It was the only acknowledgment Mark was likely to get from him.
Gently, his brother disentangled the dog’s teeth from his coat. “Cease that behavior, Ghost,” he
admonished. “Here—you may chew on this instead.”
Mark clouted him on the shoulder. “That’s my satchel, you buffoon.”
Smite didn’t answer, and when the pup grabbed one end of the strap and pulled clumsily, a smile lit his
face. “Good dog.”