The third book in Sarah Honey’s historical romance series, The Royal Rogue is a very entertaining romantic comedy with a threads of action and royal intrigue running through the pages.
The castle and universe of King Leopold of Lilleforth (The King’s Delight #1), The Royal Rogue can easily be read as a standalone novel about the Duke of Ravenport,
Evan Devere, and Thomas Malone, Captain of the Royal Guards. Both reoccurring characters in the previous stories.
The characters are well written, the story has wonderful dialogue and charm, and Evan it definitely a rogue to take to heart. Thomas is his match in every aspect, from intelligence to his ability to be flexible.
I skipped over the second book, why the author named the male main character Mother I’ll never understand.Just no. But I really enjoyed The Royal Rogue (Tales of Lilleforth, #3) by Sarah Honey and it’s a recommendation from me.
Thomas Malone is the new Captain of the Guard at Lilleforth Castle. He loves his job, but it leaves him no time for himself. It’s been way too long since he’s had anyone share his bed, let alone his life. To say he’s frustrated is an understatement.
To make matters worse, the King’s disreputable cousin Evan Devere, the Duke of Ravenport, is back from his travels. Evan is as scatterbrained as he is attractive, which is a shame—if Evan had even half a brain, he’d be exactly Thomas’s type. As it is, Thomas has resigned himself to spending his days keeping Evan out of trouble
But when a threat emerges against the crown, Thomas and Evan have to work together to find who’s behind the plot, and Thomas discovers there’s more to Evan than meets the eye. So when Evan suggests that they act on their mutual attraction, Thomas throws caution to the wind and agrees. After all, it is just a fling, right? There’s no way Thomas is actually going to fall for the sexy, infuriating cousin of the king.
K.J. Charles has written another delightful novel in the Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune series, The Duke at Hazard. Here, a severely insulated Duke is robbed of his ducal ring during an anonymous encounter . To get it back, he makes a bet that he undertakes the task without use of his power and authority. For a month. If he loses, he forfeits his greys, his beloved horses.
Charles does a fantastic job in establishing the personality of Severn at the beginning of the story, then as a man out of his depth on this mission, then again as one who is finally finding himself on the road. It’s an astonishing journey of development and growth. And it happens along with that of another person’s remarkable story, and their relationship.
Severn becomes Cassian and journey companion to Daizell Charnage, a disgraced noble whose is helping him retrieve his ring . Along the way, each has experienced so much that they are able to recognize the men they both are , together and individually.
It’s a terrific story, the characters are well written, the universe authentic, and the relationship that builds is one that feels believable in its growth and obstacles encountered.
Additionally , Charles has included so many beautifully crafted side characters and well thought out elements here that together all add up to a truly satisfying experience for the reader. We enter into the story involved in Severn’s journey and then get fully invested until the final sentence.
There were a couple of things that I had issues with. One was the character of Leo, Cassian’s cousin. He was the one who prompted the bet, but it was his gambling problems that were real reason behind Leo wanting Cassian’s greys. And his attitude of entitlement and expectations from Cassian was deplorable. It made Leo a “tiresome” personality throughout the story, even afterwards when things had been resolved. I wonder if Charles realizes how thoroughly obnoxious he came across.
Lastly, the end feels too abrupt. We’re told what their future might look like but little is actually shown. It’s just cut off. I wish we might have been given a glimpse or two. That would have been very satisfying. But it’s a good ending and ties things together really well.
If you want to know further about the details of this story, see the author’s notes on the development of that all important card game and why the term silhouette isn’t used here. If you’re thinking about authenticity, this is exactly why everything rings so believable here. Charles does the work and layers it into the narrative. It shows in the depth and details.
I’m highly recommending this to all lovers of historical fiction and romance. And fans of this author, of course!
The Duke of Severn is one of the greatest men in Britain.
He’s also short, quiet, and unimpressive. And now he’s been robbed, after indulging in one rash night with a strange man who stole the heirloom Severn ring from his finger. The Duke has to get it back, and he can’t let anyone know how he lost it. So when his cousin bets that he couldn’t survive without his privilege and title, the Duke grasps the opportunity to hunt down his ring-incognito.
Life as an ordinary person is terrifying…until the anonymous Duke meets Daizell Charnage, a disgraced gentleman, and hires him to help. Racing across the country in search of the thief, the Duke and Daizell fall into scrapes, into trouble-and in love.
Daizell has been excluded from polite society, his name tainted by his father’s crimes and his own misbehaviour. Now he dares to dream of a life somewhere out of sight with the quiet gentleman who’s stolen his heart. He doesn’t know that his lover is a hugely rich public figure with half a dozen titles. And when he finds out, it will risk everything they have…
The Men from Echo Creek is the latest release by N. R. Walker, a historical romance that takes place in the Snowy Mountain region of Australia in 1882.
Even with its historical timeline, there’s aspects of the book very reminiscent of my favorite movie, The Man from Snowy River. The location, the horses and expert riding on unbelievable terrain, brumbies, a romantic story, and adversity with a neighbor/rancher.
Here it is 19 year old Albie Bramwell whose father has just died, leaving Albie the owner of an extremely large alpine farm and having to run and manage it without his father’s help and direction.
It’s not going well until a stranger, Percy Collins, appears in town looking for a job. Percy finds a job, and in Albie someone who needs him and then finds that he’s stumbled into a place that’s home.
That’s the framework of the story. And it’s a good one. The characters are interesting, including the two other men who live on the farm with them. That’s Robert, a recovering alcoholic, and the farm manager, Des, a man with a leg injury that’s continuing to bother him.
Two women will come later. There’s also a town, Alpine Falls, and the Stricklands, the power family of the area.
While Walker lays down multiple storylines and potential dramatic scenarios, only some of the scenes here really have the power to connect with the reader and leap off the page. Much of this has to do with the land and the horses, all of which Walker has proven she has the ability to make vivid and compelling. When all four men are chasing the mob across the land, you are with them. It’s thrilling. Whenever Albie and Percy, or Des and Percy take the horses and head out , the descriptions of the mountains and scrub, the cold and mists are real .
Other scenes too bring home Albie’s youth and desperate situations in town. Those are some of the best moments of interactions for raw emotions.
But the romance between Albie and Percy? I don’t know why but I was never quite invested. Liked them both but their relationship never felt like it had any chemistry. Friends yes. But more? Not really. And we never really got to know Albie’s story or anything about his father . Not sure why there’s no foundation for much of any character here but the lack of one makes these characters seem less filled out.
And so much of the rest of the story feels flat or rushed. The women move in and they are just forgotten, except for a sentence or two here and there. Backgrounds for Des and Robert are never supplied even though they are major characters . And the whole element where Strickland went from the bad guy to , well, if not good, maybe grayish guy. Then he’s done with. After a big build up.
It’s too many dropped plot points for me. Just things that don’t fit or make sense with the story.
So it’s enjoyable but not my favorite NR Walker book. Need cowboys from this author? Read her Red Dirt Heart series. That’s a reread for me.
In the winter of 1882, a boy from the mountains has to prove himself a man.
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When Albie Bramwell’s father died, he was left with two thousand hectares of mountain to farm, and little help to run it. Abandoned by all but two of his workers, the whole town of Alpine Falls called him too young to run the farm alone.
Young, yes. At just nineteen, he was determined to prove them wrong. Even if it killed him.
In search of a new life, Percy Collins found himself in a small mountain town where he ran into a man not much older than himself and scored a job at Echo Creek. A property full of misfits, or so the townsfolk had called it. But what Percy found was a home.
What Albie found was something he never thought possible. A man to love, and a man to share his dreams.
But times were tough, the winter harsh, and money scarce. Albie and Percy would need to do more than prove themselves worthy. They’d need to not only prove themselves better than anyone else. They’d need to prove it twice.
Samuel, fourth of the Regency Crofton Earl series, can be seen as a terrific companion story to his father’s book, Charles, as it’s events run simultaneously with those of that story.
Or if you prefer, as a standalone, since Cohen has done a marvelous job filling out the backstory of Charles and Timothy (Captain Thorne), both of whom are major characters here, as well as Aunt Amelia, and the rest of the foundation knowledge started in Charles.
There’s a topic that should be addressed in all the stories that often bothers some readers but it’s a common practice during this time period. That’s of taking sexual partners outside of the marriage, mostly because the marriages here are arranged by the families for reasons of politics and in their own royal interests . As long as they provide a heir or two, and their actions are discreet, other liaisons are likely and even expected. Some readers don’t want to read a book that has a “cheating “ element but historical fiction has parameters that make this quite difficult to follow. This story doesn’t try and it shouldn’t.
I enjoyed Samuel, not as much as I adore his father , Charles, but Samuel is definitely a man apart from the typical Redbourn in some respects. He’s less flamboyant, less aggressively dramatic, but against Charles, who could be?
Cohen instead builds layers of regret, pain, disappointment, and anger into Samuel. A man who’s had to deal with losses from his life, over and over. And without a support from the people who he needs most.
While I didn’t know Samuel well in his father’s book, we flip the perspective, and get a new sense of who this damaged man truly is. The drug fog he accepts rather than deal with the reality of the betrayal he’s just discovered, that’s believable.
It’s also an element that needs a trigger warning. A section of this story deals with drug addiction and withdrawal. If this is a trigger for you, please be aware.
The entire escapade with Charles working to create a wicked Earl scenario around Samuel? Priceless and very sexy. Loved this whole thread.
The only aspect of Samuel’s story I found lacking is Hugo Cavalier, the object of Samuel’s obsession and then love. Hugo is sort of there in the narrative for a couple of chapters. Then , he’s mentioned throughout as the one man Samuel can’t forget about. Then he reappears about 70 percent of the novel later, and , to my mind, Hugo never becomes a fully realized character.
Everyone else here is an animated, lively, breathing person, fully of personality. Yet Hugo remains sort of a one-note, beige person, one I cannot help but wonder why Samuel is so enthralled with.
That lack of chemistry, or two dimensional characterization keeps their relationship from truly mattering to me and this story from going from good to great.
It doesn’t help that there’s a fantastic couple there as comparison. Charles and Timothy are right there as couples goals, chemistry igniting, showing exactly why Samuel and Hugo come off as lacking.
But those parties! Oh my! Who wouldn’t want to be invited! So decadent, so delicious, so Redbourn!
I adored this!
Yes, I’m recommending Samuel, it’s great to see that family again and see how it all plays out. While not a huge fan of Hugo, I am of the rest! There’s a new modern Crofton on it’s way so enjoy the Regency era now!
The Crofton Universe :
🔷The Crofton Chronicles–Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart):
✓ The Actor and the Earl
✓ Duty to the Crown
✓ Forever Hold His Peace
✓ The Love and the Anger Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart)–Sebastian/ Anthony 10 years together
🔷The Earls of Crofton–Historical: (Different eras–can be read as individual standalone novels):
✓ Anthony, Earl of Crofton (Early Stuart)
✓ James, Earl of Crofton (Restoration)
✓ Charles, Earl of Crofton (Regency)
✓ Samuel, Earl of Crofton (Regency)
🔷The Modern Crofton–Contemporary:
✓ Saving Crofton Hall
✓ Making History at Crofton Hall
✓ Below Stairs at Crofton Hall
✓ Getting Married at Crofton Hall
✓ Starting Again at Crofton Hall
◦ Coming Out at Crofton Hall- TBD
🔷Standalones in the Crofton Universe
◦ Much Ado About Lady Macbeth Note: Sebastian Hewel is a minor character
Something extra for Crofton! Modern Crofton Short Story:
◦ Ben and the Mistletoe (set the Christmas after Saving Crofton Hall)
Only the selected few get to attend the special evenings hosted by Samuel Redbourn, 9th Earl of Crofton, the Hellcat of the Ton.
Despite his reputation, Samuel is not the man everyone thinks he is. He has lost a lot in his young life, and after recovering from his addiction to laudanum, it’s time to make the Ton take notice. There’s one thing he wants above all, Hugo, the only man he’s ever loved. But Hugo Cavalier was sent away by his father after he was caught in bed with Samuel, and when he returns to England several years later, there is no guarantee they can rekindle what they once had.
Historical gay Regency romance. A standalone novel in the Crofton Universe.
Please note: contains scene of period drug use, addiction, and recovery.
It’s the 10th anniversary of The Actor and the Earl , the novel of Lord Anthony Redbourn , first Earl of Crofton, and actor Sebastian Hewel . This story launched two series (The Crofton Chronicles and Modern Crofton) and the beginnings of a long, remarkable love story.
The Love and the Anger is set in the early Stuart era and one of the best, most well written aspects of this story is the manner in which the dangers and obstacles this couple faces daily is woven into the many storylines.
Here, Anthony Redbourn and Sebastian Hewel have had ten yrs together , with their committed relationship known only to a few in their inner circle of family and friends. Anthony is married to the marvelous Lady Sara, who’s love interests lie solely with her ladies maid. But Sebastian remains stubbornly single, a state that in that era makes for a strained, stressful situation where he’s a constant matrimonial target for ladies and their families, while also being an extremely attractive sexual mark for all sorts of men and women eager for his bed.
Cohen excels at conveying the vulnerability of Sebastian’s situation and the spectrum of emotions it pulls from both men who are powerless in their hidden love . Anger, acute jealousy, irritation, anxiety, it all comes into play as the price of maintaining social niceties with members of the Ton while trying to protect each other.
The reader is never able to forget that there’s a power imbalance built into their relationship simply due to Anthony’s status as a married Earl. It comes with a great deal of security and power that Sebastian can only access by association.
If the true nature of their long established relationship was known, then it’s death or the Gaol, and all would be lost. This fragility, where any measure of safety and security is fraught with the dangers of exposure, brings a layer of overlying sadness and a pinch of bitterness into each scene of love and happiness.
It’s realistic and heartfelt. It’s there in the language the men use, the care they take in every situation not to raise suspicions, and the idea they’ve been doing this for ten years and will continue on is emotionally exhausting at times.
That too shows up in Anthony’s fears and jealousy.
The focus of the story is William, Anthony’s son and heir from his first, brief marriage. William is 14, getting ready for a university he’s reluctant to attend, and he’s rebellious in all aspects.
His actions, again he’s such a believable young teenager of that era, as well as a mystery plot where young children of the Ton are taken to be exchanged for large sums of money, make this a tightly crafted, beautifully written novel.
Cohen remains true to her research, no mention of the word kidnapping, which she says in her Author’s Note , didn’t appear until 1680. The cast of characters, some familiar some new, are layered and well defined.
But it’s always the deep, complicated relationship between Anthony and Sebastian that’s key. It effectively threads through each other’s scenes and exposition, whether that character is physically present or not.
The Love and the Anger by Rebecca Cohen is one of the finest stories in The Crofton Chronicles. It’s a must read if you are a fan of both series and this author.
I do recommend you read each series in the order they are written to see the characters, the relationships develop.
William, Viscount of Crofton, is missing, feared taken. Anthony Redbourn, 1st Earl of Crofton, is beside himself with worry and anger, and sets out with his lover, Sebastian Hewel, to find his fourteen year old son and bring him home.
Only William hasn’t been stolen away by a gang preying on the heirs of nobles. Enthralled by the theatre, he’s run away to join a troupe of travelling players, and all goes well until someone realises who he really is…
This novel is to mark ten years of my Crofton men. Anthony and Sebastian first appear in The Crofton Chronicles, and this story is set several years after Anthony, Earl of Crofton chronologically.
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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.
Once A Gentleman is a M/M Regency romance by Eliot Grayson, the second in the author’s Love in Portsmouth series.
This reminded me why I loved the Regency novels so with characters at near constant flash points with each other , starting from the moment Kit Hewlett fell awkwardly into the arms of Andrew Turner, who walked into the bookstore Kit was working at.
Then fired from because of the incident. The first of many incendiary arguments stemming from misunderstandings and assumptions quickly follows.
Grayson’s two person pov contributes substantially towards putting the reader in the middle of this combustible relationship as it shouts, snarks, daydreams, argues, threatens, and finally ends up , in love . But even that has it’s stumbling moments.
The characters need to undergo, especially Andrew, a sea change in terms of his life and character. He does so by bringing Kit into his house, with all of Kit’s restraints and expectations. And Kit’s reactions towards Andrew’s own wildly unwanted impulsive actions to pull Kit towards him.
In between all the drama and character actions happening at the Turner household, there’s the ship being repaired and readied for a new assignment.
Grayson saves the reality of Turner’s maritime career until the last section of this story, bringing with it one of the most romantic moments of their journey together.
There’s more then once you will want to knock heads here over continuing issues and slights that could be solved by better communication. But I was absolutely committed to this story and couple, and read this book straight through from start to finish.
If you’re a lover of historical fiction and Regency romance, here’s a story and series for you.
Penniless, friendless, and with nowhere left to turn after his family’s ruin, Kit Hewlett can’t afford any more disasters. When a rakish, too-handsome gentleman—and Kit’s own clumsiness—cause him to lose his position as a bookshop clerk, Kit has no choice but to accept the gentleman’s offer of employment as his secretary.
Andrew Turner serves honorably in the Royal Navy, but when ashore he wastes his fortune and his time on an endless round of drinking, cards, and…other pleasures. He appreciates his new secretary’s slim body and pretty green eyes more than he ought, but he’s also struck by Kit’s quick wit and clever mind. To Andrew’s shock, he finds himself wanting more than a tumble. But that’s inconvenient. It’s irritating. And Kit won’t bed him anyway.
Trying to convince Kit that he’s more than just a debauched wastrel takes some doing, but once desire overrides Kit’s common sense, their attraction explodes into passion. Just as Kit dares to believe in Andrew’s love, Andrew’s ship is sent on a mission to the Continent. Will separation, worry, and fear tear them apart or will love bind them to one another forever?
This is the second book in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. Contains debauchery galore, a footman who wants to murder the butler, love letters, and gratuitous references to Gothic novels…and of course, a guaranteed HEA.
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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.
I was looking forward to this book based on the blurb and some of the reviews, but it was definitely not the story I anticipated. Btw, spoilers ahead.
First of all there is no solid world building here. The Infidelity Clause by Lisa Olivier was lacking in a consistent foundation for its storylines. It’s missing huge parts of its universe, especially anything relatable to a magical element. That was almost a nonexistent item here, although supposedly it was a major factor in the health of the peoples, education , and foundation of the kingdoms.
Oliver’s plot veered between the “whimsical” historical comedy the blurb referenced and a realistic drama that factors in people with pasts that contain sexual assault, suicide, family abuse, and abandonment. More about the abundance of plot elements later.
The story revolves around a marriage clause called a Infidelity Clause referred to by the characters as a “piss off “ clause repeatedly. Why? Because if broken, one of the partners of the contract can, well, you guess it.
The intention here is that the marriage was going to be a temporary contract. It all starts off so lightly. A way faring Prince, will wed a ne’er do well “loves to party”prince in a comedy of errors! Sounds fab!
The author has chosen names of the countries and neighboring kingdoms along the lines of Gumflumple, ( actually Gunkermal) with a actual heir , a stepbrother, to a throne called Paragon. Not the main characters. So I figured this was not a story I was supposed to take seriously.
It was if Oliver started out writing a broad comedy, then because she couldn’t decide where to take the characterizations, so she moved them and the storylines all over the place. From light fun which then took a dark turn into stark murderous drama!
Broad comedy, sex and sexual awakening, drama, murder mystery, murder attempts, action suspense, romance, pirates and sea battles, a pinch of steampunk and a scoosch of tiny magical doings too . Oh and a character with disabilities and mentions of several past sexual assaults to others. The entire kitchen of narrative elements was absolutely tossed into the book here . I believe I’ve left out some. Like the smh names of some people and items.
I liked the characters, but the story they are running around in is a mess. Main elements have no foundation. Small characters play a big part , then several mentions, then disappear. Pop back in. Gone again.
It’s got the feeling of a grab bag of narrative elements that just keep getting thrown in without the necessary exposition to glue it together.
But the worst? The way it was ended.
“Which was why, when the knocking at the door started, he ignored it, and encouraged Caspian to ignore it too.
To Be Continued.”
— The Infidelity Clause: One of those MM crown princes, arranged marriages books by Lisa Oliver
The author excuses herself by saying she’s decided to write another book, so she’s leaving them here.
Like that absolves her of the decision to complete a book a person has paid for and has the expectation of getting a finished , polished product.
Which, imo, this is not.
So read it if you’re a fan of the author. Or if the blurb intrigues you. I’m giving the next book a pass.
Caspian, fourth son and yet still a Crown Prince of Gunkermal knew he was a party to a marriage contract. Arranged marriages were common in his family, and he expected the contract would cement various trade or security agreements with another country. He just didn’t realize the other party to his contract was a full-grown man, who stepped off his ship and into Caspian’s life as if he owned it.
How much is this marriage worth to our king again?
Nikolas, Crown Prince and only heir of Westland, arrived in Gunkermal to fulfill his part of a marriage contract that was six months in the making. He was under no illusions about his prospective spouse. By all accounts, his intended was a womanizer, a lay about, and was likely someone who fussed if Nikolas should use a wrong fork at dinner. That’s why Nikolas insisted their marriage contract have an infidelity clause. He figured his spouse would invoke what was known as the “piss-off” clause before Christmas and he’d be free.
It’s far better to marry someone whose weaknesses we’re already aware of.
One man went into his marriage contract blindly. The other thought he knew everything there was to know about his intended spouse. When circumstances suggested that neither man knew what was actually going on, was there a possibility the marriage could work after all? And what did a pirate captain have to do with anything at all.
The Infidelity Clause is a whimsical story that is the result of the author’s muse taking a holiday. If you are a fan of MM arranged marriage stories, set in a land with a dash of magic, and a double dose of humor, you might enjoy this one. The main characters in this story are adults, so intimate situations are described. Please store your e-book content responsibly.
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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 