June and July Are Looking Good For Romance Novels!

I always like to look forward to see what new books are coming out and it looks June and July will bring us a bonanza of good books. We all have our favorite authors so this post will contain many of mine but feel free to chime in and add some of yours. I also will mention first authors as I think we all need to give them a chance as they could become our favorites as time goes on.

June releases

• Mary Balogh finishes her Huxtable Series with Seducing an Angel



• Sabrina Jeffries comes out with another in her School for Heiress Series, Don't Bargain With The Devil which was reviewed on this blog on April 28th.



• Eloisa James book, This Duchess of Mine, continues the Desperate Duchess series.



• Sherry Thomas (I love her books!) writes Not Quite a Husband.



• Elizabeth Thornton has a paranormal (not my favorite genre but I do like her) The Scot and I.



• Johanna Lindsey's Victorian Romance, A Rogue of Her Own, comes out June 16.



• Lavinia Kent (first novel! Give it a try!) debuts with A Talent For Sin. It received 4 1/2 stars in Romantic Times.

This is just a sampling of the June releases. There are many, many more so check out your favorite bookstore.

July Releases (This looks to be a banner month!)

• Loretta Chase (Yea! One of my favorites! She is an automatic buy for me.) comes out with Don't Tempt Me.



• Galen Foley's latest Regency is My Wicked Marquess.



• Sabrina Jeffries concludes her School for Heiresses series with Wed Him Before You Bed Him. In this book we finally find out who Cousin Michael is if you haven't already guessed!



• Amanda Scott's story, set in 1374 Scotland, should be a winner! It is Tamed By A Laird.



• Lorraine Heath's book Surrender to the Devil actually has a release date of June 30.



• Mary Jo Putnet begins a new series, The Lost Lords, with Loving a Lost Lord.



• Julia Quinn (One of my all time favorites) pens a sequel to The Secret Diary of Miranda Cheever which will be Olivia Bevelstoke's story titled What Happened in London.



• Terri Brisbin writes another of her medieval romances The Conqueror's Lady.

There are so many more coming out in these two months. I will need to save my pennies for trips to Borders!

It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

I love books in a series especially if they are as good as the Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn, The Slightly Series by Mary Balogh or the Cynster Series by Stephanie Laurens. I always look forward to the next book and when the series ends I am sad for a few days as those characters have become dear friends.

The Bridgerton series consists of eight books. Each one is devoted to one of Violet Bridgerton's eight children, Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth. Through the eight books the reader becomes acquainted with the whole family and the story of each one is as different as the personalities of the eight children.

This is not a new series. The first book, The Duke and I, is Daphne's story and was published in 2000. It's In His Kiss is the seventh book and is Hyacinth's story. It was published in 2005. I read the book when it was first published and loved it as Hyacinth has always been one of my favorite characters. Recorded Books recorded this on audio CD and I have just finished listening to it for the second time.

Julia Quinn writes with a wonderful sense of humor as well as giving the reader some really romantic love scenes. Her characters are well developed and their personalities come through very well.

Hyacinth is a very opinionated young woman and when Gareth St. Claire enters her life she finally meets someone who appreciates her frankness but who can also match wits with her. The reason I decided to write this review is when I was driving along and listening to it I found myself laughing out loud at the scene when Gareth goes to ask Hyancinth's brother Anthony for her hand. Anthony seemed so relieved that finally someone suitable wanted to marry her. Gareth was quite taken aback at his attitude.

The scene when Gareth asks Hyacinth to marry him is also very funny. It takes place in his grandmother Danbury's home and she, Lady Danbury, refuses to leave and stays as Gareth proposes to Hyacinth. Along with the humor though there is a tenderness about the story as Gareth deals with his father and as Hyacinth realizes that there really is a man for her.

Simon Prebble is the narrator and if no one has ever listened to his narrations it is a must! He also narrated Stephanie Laurens Cynster series and I find his voice addictive and he expresses the emotions evoked by the author so well.

Unfortunately Recorded Books has only done the last two books in the Bridgerton series. Why they did not begin with the first book I will never know.

Anyway, if you haven't read this series or any other of Julia Quinn's book, please give them a try.

The Old is New!

Yes, I have decided to make one blog (http://gigisthoughtsandideas.blogspot.com/) for my liberal leaning poltical thoughts and make one for my romance reading and reviews (http://gigisromancereviews.blogspot.com/) This should make it easier for folks to follow. I have imported my reviews from the other blog into this one and will be adding more soon.
The photo I am using in my profile is taken of me in Inverness, Scotland at Culloden Field. I am kneeling by the Fraser Grave stone there. Diana Gabaldon has written the most intriguing, romantic and historical series. There is so much depth to her writing. Her Outlander series which now numbers 6 books telling the story of Claire and Jamie Fraser beginning with Outlander. The next book in the series is An Echo In The Bone is eagerly awaited by thousands of readers. The new book is due out in September 2009.

After reading the series it was my dream to visit the area where they lived and traveled in Scotland. I was able to live that dream due to the wonderful friends that I traveled with. It was a beautiful day when my friends and I arrived at Culloden. As we passed many of the clan's markers it was so exciting to finally come to the Fraser marker. It was an extremely moving time for me as I felt and still feel that Jamie and Claire are a part of my family.

I hope you enjoy this blog as I share my readings with you.

Highland Scoundrel by Monica McCarty

Wow! This book is a page turner! Set in the Highlands of Scotland this is the story of Duncan Campbell and Jeannie Gordon. The story takes place in the early 1600's. Duncan was wrongly convicted and sentenced to hang for something he did not do. He and Jeannie had fallen in love and hoped to marry. However, Duncan thought that Jeannie had betrayed him and that she was the reason he had to leave his beloved Highlands.

Duncan has traveled to Ireland and Europe as a mercenary and has become famous as the "Black Highlander." He has also made his fortune. He returns to the Highlands ten years later hoping to prove his innocence.

In the meantime, Jeannie had married Francis Gordon who has just died leaving her a very vulnerable widow. She is swimming in the loch when Duncan comes upon her. She is so startled to hear someone behind her that she turns and shoots only to find that it is her lost love, Duncan.

This story is filled with intrigue and betrayal and I have to admit that I stayed up much too late last night so I could finish it. I shall have to reread parts of it as it was so exciting that I know I skipped over some things.

The romance was very touching though certainly not smooth as Duncan and Jeannie try to deny the passion that still exists between them. Duncan knows Jeannie is keeping something from him and cannot figure out what it is. When all seems lost help comes from a very unexpected quarter. While the romance was a major factor in the plot it did not rule the story. It was well integrated with the intrigue, betrayal and the search for the truth.

I loved Duncan and Jeannie as hero and heroine and I felt that their characters were very well developed. Duncan is very strong both physically and emotionally except when it comes to Jeannie. Jeannie is strong in her own way as well as being very stubborn but trying always to protect her family. I would have liked to see a little more development of some of the secondary characters. Jeannie's daughter Ella was charming and I loved her vivaciousness. Jeannie mother-in-law was a bitch and very well portrayed.

I love books set in the Scottish Highlands so this book had immediate appeal for me. The author's notes at the end of the book were interesting as they gave the historical background of the story. Monica McCarty writes consistently good stories set in this region. Her Highlander Trilogy was very good.

I can highly recommend this book to my romance lover friends. I gave this book 4 stars.

Confessions of a Little Black Dress by Elizabeth Boyle

I really liked Confessions of A Little Black Gown by Elizabeth Boyle. There was a nice mix of intrigue, humor and romance. There were several situations that developed throughout the story that had me in gales of laughter.
Lord Larkin, who thought he was retired from the business of being a master spy, finds himself called back into duty. His mission is to find the pirate Dashwell. Dashwell was scheduled to hang and was sprung from prison by two women. The women are related to the Duke of Hollindrake.
These two women, Tally and Pippin, are to be at Lady Hollindrake’s house party so Larkin arrives disguised as the bumbling vicar cousin of the Duke. In this disguise he will attempt to find Dashwell and kill him. But Tally is a good match for him and he finds his task much more difficult than he thought as well as finding himself very attracted to Tally.
I liked all of the characters and thought they were well developed. Tally was funny, intuitive and very bright. Her twin sister Felicity, The Countess of Hollindrake, is a strong minded woman bound on becoming the best matchmaker in the Ton. This makes for some very funny scenes. Larkin is struggling to overcome some very traumatic events in his life and some peace when he is with Tally. Their developing romance is warm and quite romantic.
The ending of the story took me a little bit by surprise. Loose ends did get tied up but not in a hurried way. I am looking forward to Boyle’s next book, Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress.

I gave Confessions of a Little Black Dress 4 1/2 stars.