Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Craving the Highlander’s Touch by Michelle Willingham
Historical romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Sep 11

As the Undone line has evolved, many authors have chosen to utilize the shorter format as a “teaser” for their full-length Harlequin Historical books.  Like all things concerning series books, it all boils down to how much series-itis creeps in, and whether or not as the reader I feel like I’m being manipulated.  Yes, I’m talking execution.  Michelle Willingham is one who loves to use the Undone line to flesh out secondary characters from her connected novels, and she’s also one that generally makes it work for me.  This short story tied to her MacKinloch Clan books is no exception.

Alys Fitzroy, Lady of Harkirk, has endured a marriage to a brutish English husband.  Besides terrorizing her, he’s made many enemies among the local Scots – who he has a habit of imprisoning and torturing.  Although English herself, this treatment of the locals sickens Alys, especially when it involves children.  So she does what she can, freeing as many of them as she can – helping them to run away.

Finian MacLachor is his clan’s chief, and his failed uprising against Alys’ dear husband has not gone well.  He’s a man who has lost everything – his wife, his daughter, and his very soul.  Beaten, bloody, and sitting in the dungeons waiting to be made an example of, he’s resigned himself to die, because he thinks he has no right to live.  Then Alys shows up with the keys.

Willingham tends to put a lot of story in her Undones, but this one might take first prize.  This really could have been a full-length novel.  Between the various character baggage, the battle scene, the love scenes, and the final chapter?  There’s a lot going on here.  While the author does have to take a few “happens off page” short cuts to keep things moving along, this is a story I could really sink my teeth into.  It is also especially lovely to read love scenes that are an intricate part of the romance and character development.  They aren’t here just for filler – they need to be in this story.

I do think reading the two full-length novels will allow readers to get a bit more out of this story.  However, that being said, I still have both novels languishing in my TBR and I rather liked this short tale.  If anything, it succeeded in me kicking my own behind for letting those novels sit unread for these last several months.  So in the end?  The author’s ploy worked.  Teasing me with the short makes me want to run out and read the full-length stories.  Which makes me part of the problem, but given how much I enjoyed this story?  I don’t rightly care.

Grade: B

Summary:

Scotland, 1306

For Alys Fitzroy, Lady of Harkirk, her brutish husband is more of an enemy than the wild Scots she is supposed to hate. Her heart longs to help her husband’s prisoners—especially Finian MacLachor, the intense Highland chief who bears the scars of his own failed uprising, both inside and out. With her help, he has a second chance to make things right for his clan—and and to show Alys the nights of unbelievable pleasure she’s been missing.…

No Excerpt Found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of One Night as a Courtesan by Ann Lethbridge
Historical Romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Oct 10

I read a full-length “Regency” historical romance recently that had absolutely no sense of place.  It could have easily taken place on a Texas cattle ranch in 1968 as Regency London.  I immediately thought back to my reading of that particular book while zipping through this short story by Ann Lethbridge.  Why?  Because this short story had more Regency flavor 100 times over than that full-length novel.

Julia Partridge is a widow who has fallen on hard times.  Such hard times that she gets caught stealing.  Coming to her “rescue” is a madam at a local brothel.  Julia is to get auctioned off for one night, with one man – and in exchange she’ll get a pile of money.  With no other options, and desperate for those promised funds, Julia agrees.  Of course, she had no idea that the man who “won” her in the auction would turn out to be Alistair Crawford, Duke of Dunstan, a man so notorious for his reputation that his nickname is “the Dissolute Duke!”

Kudos to the author for actually giving readers a real rake.  This is a guy who has privileged ennui stamped all over him.  It’s practically oozing out of his pores.  So yeah, it’s not like you fall in love with him as a hero the moment he steps on the page.  I like that Julia faces issues that are very believable for the time period.  A widow, with no family to rely on, and no nest egg stashed away for her by her dead husband.  Not a lot of options.

As lovely as the sense of place was, and as much as I appreciated the author’s characterizations, there were moments in the romance that did give me pause.  The author excels at the love scenes, evoking them in a slow, sensual manner.  However, I couldn’t help feeling that a big reason Alistair falls for Julia is because she’s not your “typical” brothel girl.  It’s okay for him to fall in love with her because she’s smart, well-spoken, and obviously “quality.”  Meaning if she was working class and poor, there’s no way in heck he’d give her a second look.  So yeah, he’s a snob.  To be fair, he’s a bloody duke!  Of course he’s going to be a snob!  I also feel the ending is a bit much, given the short time frame of the story, but it is a historical so “let’s date for a while” isn’t really an option and, honestly, “be my mistress” doesn’t exactly scream romance.

That being said, this is a nice, sensual read, and good example of what I want from the Undone line.  It is short, it has a nice sense of place, and the love scenes are steamy.  If you want a little steam with a Regency era that isn’t wallpaper and you’re open to short stories?  Look no further.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Widow Julia Partridge is desperate. To repay a debt, she’s forced to sell herself in an auction at the most exclusive bawdy house in London. Julia only has to get through one night with one man—though she never imagined that man would be Alistair Crawford, the dissolute Duke of Dunstan! Alistair has the face of a fallen angel…and a reputation for vice to match. Yet when he turns his attentions to Julia, he unexpectedly arouses more passion in a few moments than she’d felt in her entire marriage….

No Excerpt Found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of One Wicked Christmas by Amanda McCabe
Historical Romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Nov 11

I always pick up books by Amanda McCabe because she never gives readers the same thing twice.  She’s done everything from the 15th century to the 1920s.  Any author who delivers that kind of variety gets my attention.  I wish I could say I loved this latest, a Christmas short story set in Regency England, but, alas, it didn’t really work for me.

Lady Cassandra Osborne is a young widow who loved her kind, gentle husband.  They led a quiet life and made lovely companions.  Since his death she’s locked herself away, and her best friend is urging her that it’s time to take a lover.  The problem is that the only man who interests her is her husband’s roguish BFF, Sir Ian Chandler.  Ian came around a lot after her husband died and looked after her.  But after they shared a smoldering kiss?  Yeah, Ian has been out-of-sight, although not for one moment out-of-mind.  When it turns out that Cassandra and Ian are invited to the same Christmas house party?  Yeah, we all know where this is going.

I actually tend to like plots of this nature, but in a short story format it’s really problematic.  When strung out over a full-length novel, the author has time to explore the internal angst of the characters and slowly unfold the developing romance.  In a short story?  It comes off as distasteful.  I honestly find myself feeling sorry for the dead husband when it’s revealed that Ian, his best friend!, has had the hots for Cassandra since the wedding day!  Then there is the manner in which Cassandra and Ian fall into bed together.  She sneaks into his room expecting a romp with another man.  Eww.

That being said, McCabe’s writing style continues to really work for me, and I zipped through this short story in quicker manner than is my usual custom.  While it doesn’t work for me, it certainly hasn’t put me off from this author’s work, and who knows?  Maybe it will work better for you.

Grade: D+

Summary:

London, 1806

Lady Cassandra Osborne is ready to take a new lover to her bed—and knows exactly the man she wants: Sir Ian Chandler, her late husband’s rakish best friend. The single kiss they’d shared had made her feel alive again, awakening dark needs she didn’t even know she had…though Ian had quickly pulled away. Cassie is sure he doesn’t want her, until their reunion at a Christmas house party tempts them to succumb to the desire that has haunted them both….

No Excerpt Found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s Quick Quack Reviews of Two Harlequin Historical Undones by Amanda McCabe
Historical romance digital short stories released by Harlequin Historical Undone Apr – Aug 2011

In what has become a familiar song and dance around The Pond, Wendy has once again been hording short stories on her e-reader.  Oh, who am I kidding – I never really stopped.  So in a bid to clean out some of the back-log, I thought I’d bundle up two reviews in one for Amanda McCabe’s most recent work for Harlequin Historical Undone.  McCabe is an author who has generally worked for me in the shorter format in the past, so I settled in with high hopes for some solid reads.  One worked pretty well, while the other?  Not so much.

Unlacing The Lady In Waiting
August 2011

16th century Scotland is all about making favorable alliances, which explains how Lady Helen Frasier has found herself betrothed to James McKerrigan.  This an arrangement she is unhappy with, given that all she has heard her entire life is how vile, evil, and barbaric every McKerrigan is.  But what’s a girl to do?  Defy her father?  Yeah, not an option.  So instead she takes off for some solitude to collect her thoughts, where she runs into the most dashing man.  Gee, guess who our mystery man is?  Yeah.  Anywho, everything seems to be going along swimmingly, until word gets to Daddy that Helen has been chosen to be a lady in waiting for Mary, Queen of Scots.  The engagement is, naturally, broken – so when Helen returns to Scotland years later?  Good ol’ James is there to meet her and claim his bride.

This is one of those stories where I knew where it was going before it got there.  There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, and I’m still capable of enjoying themes, tropes, and various plot bits I’ve read numerous times before.  The problem here is that we have a massive case of Insta-Lurve.  Some stolen kisses and heavy petting with James (prior to knowing he’s James, of course) is enough for Helen to fall madly in love with him.  And James with her.  Sorry, not buying.  It takes more than that for me to believe these two are in love and pining for each other while they are apart.

Grade: C

Summary:

Scotland, 1561

Lady Helen Frasier thought Highlanders were barbaric—until she shared an intimate encounter with her betrothed, James McKerrigan. Though their families were enemies, the Highland lord roused a surprising passion in Helen. Then she was chosen to become a lady in waiting to the queen, and their engagement was broken.

Now, Helen has returned to Scotland and her jilted lover, who has vowed to take revenge and claim his promised bride….

No Excerpt Found

Girl in the Beaded Mask
April 2011

Lady Louise “Lulu” Hatton has escaped from her first season in London to return to the country.  She suffered through dreadfully dull debutante balls and shared more than one sub-par stolen kiss with would-be suitors.  The only man she has ever wanted is her brother’s best friend, David Carlisle.  However, when David returned from World War I, he came home a changed man.  Wounded, scarred, and haunted by the death of Lulu’s brother.  When an invitation shows up for a local house party where David will be in attendance?  Lulu defies her parents, dresses for the masquerade, and sets out to get her man.

This is a pretty solid story with a wonderful 1920s back-drop.  Most of my issues stem from this tale not being long enough.  Given the constraints of the Undone line, David’s PTSD is glossed over considerably, and while I could buy these two being in love?  There’s hardly any mention of her parents, and no mention whatsoever of the fall-out of David deflowering Lulu.  I mean, by all accounts her parents “like” David – but would they consider him a suitable match for their daughter?  That’s another kettle of fish.

Grade: B-

Summary:

England, 1922

David Carlisle believes no woman would want to marry the broken and isolated man who has returned from the trenches of France. Especially vivacious Lady Louise Hatton, better known as Lulu—the one woman who makes his heart begin to thaw with her bright smile.

What David doesn’t realize is that Lulu has been fantasizing about him her whole life. And at a scandalous masked ball, she’s determined to show David just how badly she wants him….

No Excerpt Found

One of the reasons I tend to glom on to Amanda McCabe’s work is that she’s not afraid to tinker around with different settings and time periods.  Just looking at her short story work for Undone, she has refused to be pigeon-holed into writing one “type” of story.  Which these two particular examples illustrate quite beautifully, even if one story worked better for me than the other.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Taming Her Gypsy Lover by Christine Merrill
Historical romance ebook short story published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 May 10

I adore the Harlequin Historical Undone line, but I have this annoying habit of hording the short stories on my Sony Reader.  Which would be the half-ass excuse I have for just now reading this prequel to the multi-author Harlequin Historical Silk & Scandal series almost one year after it’s release date.  Well, better late than never I suppose!

When Emma Hammond’s husband dies she’s relegated to the status of poor relation in her uncle’s household.  Dear Uncle has plans to wash his hands of her by foisting her off into an arranged marriage with one of his “yes men.”  Emma doesn’t see a way out until a darkly handsome Gypsy comes calling.

Chal Pannell arrives on the scene to claim a young gypsy boy that Emma’s cousin-in-law took from his tribe.  However the boy is no longer there, and instead Chal finds Emma – a woman he is immediately drawn to.  For her part, Emma sees her way out.  She’ll provide Chal with information to help him locate the boy – and in return, he takes her with him.

As a prequel to the Silk & Scandal series this story works quite well.  It lays the groundwork, gives readers a glimpse into the “scandal,” and sets the fallout in motion.  As a stand-alone short story it has some problems.  The time table for the romance is very short (as in, a couple of days), and while the Georgian era is drawn well, I had some nagging issues.  Namely, I have a hard time picturing Chal debauching Emma in the gardens while she’s wearing Georgian clothing.  Also, while the author does sell it fairly well, it’s still a bit problematic to think of an English lady taking to the Gypsy lifestyle so effortlessly.  But the story is interesting, Chal is tall, dark and handsome, and there are plenty of sexy-times to be had.

All in all, not a terrible way to spend some pre-bedtime reading.  It certainly did the job of peaking my interest in the Silk & Scandal series, of which I have several in my TBR.

Grade: C

Summary:

Widow Emma Hammond had reluctantly accepted her place as a poor relation to be given away in an arranged marriage. She didn’t think she could escape her fate—until she meets gypsy Chal Pannell. Even though he vows revenge against her family for taking a gypsy boy from his tribe, he awakens Emma’s passionate fantasies…and a risqué tryst in the woods proves he desires her just as strongly! When the boy goes missing, Emma and the wild stranger set off to recover him as unlikely allies—and uninhibited lovers….

No Excerpt Found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of To Court, Capture and Conquer by Amanda McCabe
Historical Romance ebook short story published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Nov 10

I am in awe of Amanda McCabe.  Besides the fact that she’s one of the hardest working writers in romance (she’s also Laurell McKee!), she’s always willing to explore a variety of settings.  To Court, Capture and Conquer is the latest of her work set in the criminally under-utilized Elizabethan time period – and there’s plenty to enjoy here packed in a small word count.

A favorite at court, Lord Edward Hartley has been carefully plotting his revenge against the odious Sir Thomas Sheldon.  Edward has settled on the idea of kidnapping Sheldon’s virginal young bride-to-be — just long enough to cast the girl’s reputation in doubt.  Edward strikes back at Sheldon, and, in return, the poor innocent escapes the clutches of a man who has already buried two wives.  Naturally the plan goes awry (doesn’t it always?) and Edward discovers he’s kidnapped the girl’s chaperone, Lady Elizabeth Gilbert, by mistake!  Whatever shall they do? ::wink, wink, nudge, nudge::

I read a lot of these Undones, and McCabe always manages to deliver so much story in such a short word count.  This story feels fully fleshed out, with well-developed characters, and an extremely interesting setting.  It also delivers on the sexy sizzle that this line is built around.

That all being said, the declarations of love do come off a bit abrupt (although it helps that the couple knows each other from court), and there are some unanswered questions.  Namely, the fall-out regarding the young, virginal would-be bride, and the villain still needs to be dealt with.  However, the curtain falls nicely on the romance, and the author leaves the door open to return to this world (and her villain) with a future release.  All in all, good show!

Grade: B

Summary:

London, 1589

Lord Edward Hartley plans to get revenge against Sir Thomas Sheldon, the man who destroyed his brother, by stealing Sheldon’s intended bride. Standing in his way is Lady Elizabeth Gilbert, the girl’s chaperone and a reputed paragon of virtue.

Yet Edward cannot help but notice the sensual longing in her eyes. He is sure that her cool exterior conceals a passion waiting to be set free. And when Edward kidnaps Elizabeth by mistake, neither can resist unleashing their desire….

No Excerpt Found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Pleasured By The Viking by Michelle Willingham
Historical Romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Aug 10

Michelle Willingham’s medievals tend to really work for me.  The fact that this short story features a secondary character from last year’s Surrender to an Irish Warrior, a book that landed on my personal Best Of 2010 reading list?  Yeah, I was expecting good things.  Unfortunately, while competently written, there’s fall-out from the happy-ever-after that didn’t work for me at all.

Auder Ó Reilly has agreed to marry a Norman baron in the hopes of protecting her mother and securing peace for her struggling clan.  Besides it being no love match (she’s never met the man!) Auder is concerned she will displease her husband when it comes to martial relations.  She dispensed of her virginity ages ago, it naturally wasn’t very good, so she thinks she’s “bad” at s-e-x.  She confides this bit of news to Viking warrior and friend, Gunnar Dalrata.  Gunnar makes her various girly bits tingle, but he’s currently pitching woo with a widow.  Little does she know that Gunnar is finding himself increasingly distracted by her presence as well!

The basic idea behind this story worked pretty well for me, but it’s the inclusion of the widow that Gunnar is currently spending time with that throws a wrench in the entire romance for me.  Gunnar comes off as a guy juggling two women, which isn’t exactly an endearing quality in a “hero.” Then there is the fact that in order for our couple to be together, someone has to be thrown under the bus – and guess who that is?  Yeah, the widow.

For her part, the author doesn’t fall into the all-too-common (and annoying) trap of making the “other woman” eviiiiiil.  Also, there’s a wonderful sense of place and time period here.  The widow’s outcome feels authentic, and the author does spin it in a way to suggest that the widow isn’t really getting that screwed over…but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  It also leaves me not feeling very “happy” for our romantic couple.

Grade: D

Summary:

Ireland, 1181

To secure peace for her clan and protection for her mother, chieftain’s daughter Auder Ó Reilly agrees to marry a powerful Norman baron. Though she desperately hopes the alliance will work, Auder worries she won’t be able to please her husband in the marriage bed—a fear she admits to her friend, handsome Viking Gunnar Dalrata. Auder has no difficulty imagining sensual delights with Gunnar, but she doesn’t believe he would ever think of her that way. Until the night of Bealtaine, when Gunnar whisks Auder away to introduce her to the true pleasure of making love….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Perfect Concubine by Michelle Styles
Historical Romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Feb 11

Of late, my quality of reading material has been more than a little lacking.  One lackluster story after another is leaving me twitching for something entertaining, and non-frustrating, to read.  Bless Michelle Styles’ heart – turns out she has the solution.  All I needed to do is travel back in time to ancient Rome!

Valeria is a desperate woman.  Her family has fallen on hard times, and now there is word that her missing brother might be alive and well, living in North Africa.  She’s determined to find him, but it means finding a man crazy enough to set sail when the weather is all wrong for such a venture.  When every other option dissolves, she’s left with Piso the Greek, the one man brave (and crazy) enough to say yes.  The fly in the ointment?  Piso and Valeria share a past, one rife with pain, heartache, and betrayal.

Piso, once a common sailor, is now a very wealthy man.  However, he’s still bitter over what he construes as Valeria’s betrayal.  So it’s partly for that reason, along with the fact that he’s never gotten over her, that he agrees to help her – on one condition.  She becomes his concubine.

Now, admittedly, this sounds a tad unsavory.  And it would have been had it not been for the heartbreaking back-story.  It’s easy to understand why Piso is so angry.  It’s easy to understand the choices Valeria felt she had to make.  The conflict stems from Piso not knowing exactly what poor Valeria has had to endure.

I suspect some readers will find this short story a bit rushed, and certainly it could have been longer given the emotional angst the characters have had to endure.  However, it also probably could have gotten a bit tiresome as a longer read, given Piso’s animosity and that the reason for it is because of a lack of communication.  As is, I think it’s just about right.  Now to hunt up the connected book, Sold & Seduced, to add to the ol’ TBR.

Grade: B

Summary:

Rome, 68 B.C.

Valeria’s life is in the hands of Piso the Greek—the very man who had risen from a common sailor to wealthy ship owner following their doomed romance. He is the only man brave enough to sail the dangerous seas to Alexandria to reunite Valeria with her missing brother and restore her family’s fortune. But Piso demands a high price for his help: Valeria must become his concubine and share his bed once more….

No Excerpt Found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Her Midnight Cowboy by Lauri Robinson
Historical Western Romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Nov 10

My recent reading has been a bit on the lackluster side, and they all happened to be contemporaries.  So I figured, why not read something historical and short?  Oooooh, and a western!  Surely that will kick-start my flagging mojo!  Yeah, not so much.  Bugger.

Angel Clayton is a pampered Daddy’s princess that knows what she wants – and what she wants is none other than Rowdy McGuire.  The problem is, that no matter what she tries – Rowdy just won’t catch a clue.

Oh, Rowdy has gotten the message.  Loud and clear.  However, he’s staying as far away as he can because Angel is The Boss’s Daughter.  Rowdy is a drifter and ranch hand, which means no matter how you crunch the numbers, it all adds up to Angel being way out of his league.

Part of the problem with this story is largely my fault.  Generally speaking, I am not a fan of Heroine In Pursuit themes, because the heroine tends to come off as needy and desperate.  Add to the mix that Angel is a Virginal Heroine In Pursuit, and, well, it’s really not my scene.

However, just because something isn’t “my thing,” doesn’t mean it won’t be some other reader’s “thing.”  Ultimately though, this is a hard story for me to recommend because of the historical feel, or lack thereof.  The problem comes in the form of Angel’s Daddy and stepmother.  Self-indulgent parents are a dime a dozen in the genre, but these two take the cake!  Yes, the West was different – but not that different.  Especially when you factor in that Daddy owns a successful ranch and Angel doesn’t want for anything.  Society rules and social mores should have definitely been at play here – and they’re just flat-out ignored.  Dude, I can bend for the sake of fiction, but not that much.

I love the Undone line, but I’m still waiting for a western short that really cooks for me.  I was hoping this would be the one, but alas the answer is still no.

Grade: D

Summary:

Eastern Wyoming, 1884

In Angel Clayton’s opinion, men don’t get any finer than hired hand Rowdy McGuire. The very thought of him makes her ache with need—and the sight of his golden, glistening skin only makes it worse. She knows he feels their bodies’ magical, intense pull towards one another, even if the honorable cowboy refuses to admit that a drifter and a ranch owner’s daughter could ever be together.

But Angel is determined to get what she wants—and she wants Rowdy!

No Excerpt Found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Innocent In the Harem by Michelle Willingham
Historical Romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 June 10

If you are a reader predisposed to disliking the captive trope, Michelle Willingham’s latest short story for the Harlequin Historical Undone line isn’t likely to change your mind. But for readers who can roll with the plot, given the right set of circumstances? The author avoids some of the more obvious pitfalls and delivers a quick, tasty read.

Prince Khadin has been summoned back to his father’s palace for what he fears will be bad news. Oh, namely his execution. He has troubles enough without getting wrapped up with some Bedouin princess turned slave girl, but that he does. After witnessing Laila’s failed escape attempt during a slave auction, he immediately purchases her, saving her from a far worse fate. Now all he has to do is convince her of that.

The obvious land mine to avoid with captive stories is “forced seduction,” which is (blessedly) not present here. Khadin gives Laila a choice. Admittedly, not much of one – but a choice nonetheless. I’ll admit that I like my characters to have free will, and it’s in pretty short supply here. That said, while Laila’s choices might not be all that grand, Khadin wants her willing, or not at all. And certainly while the power element to their relationship is a wee bit lop-sided, the author evens the playing field somewhat by having the hero fear for his own life. It’s not like everything is sunshine and roses for this guy either!

The author handles the setting well, using some real history as a nice backdrop, while tweaking things enough to deliver a highly readable short story. It’s sexy, quick and a snappy read – which is what I want out of the Undone line. Certainly the plot isn’t going to wind every reader’s watch, but for those hungry for harem stories, this one is worth a look.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Ottoman Empire, 1565

Prince Khadin knows his days are numbered. His death could come at any moment, but even he cannot help but be distracted by the Bedouin princess he sees making a daring bid for freedom from the slave market. Even in captivity, her courage and purity attract Khadin to her as much as her beauty. Unable to resist the temptation, he takes the maiden back to the palace harem—to be brought to him at night….

Read an excerpt.

So I get an e-mail from Sybil this morning with the loaded one line, “Can you do me a favor?” Oy!  Talk about a loaded question!  So I dipped my toe in the water (“Uh, suuuurrrreeeee….”) and found it was nothing more than posting a contest.  And frankly, who better to ask about posting this contest other than the resident Harlequin Historical Undone ho here at The Pond?

Up for grabs?  A coupon code to download a free copy of Michelle Willingham‘s latest short story, Innocent In The Harem, from Harlequin Historical Undone.  Here’s the blurb:

Ottoman Empire, 1565

Prince Khadin knows his days are numbered. His death could come at any moment, but even he cannot help but be distracted by the Bedouin princess he sees making a daring bid for freedom from the slave market. Even in captivity, her courage and purity attract Khadin to her as much as her beauty. Unable to resist the temptation, he takes the maiden back to the palace harem—to be brought to him at night….

Ooooh, the Ottoman Empire!  A Prince!  A Princess!  And looking at that description, there are sure to be oodles of sexy shenanigans.

We have to turn this contest around rather quickly, so for a chance to win the free download leave a comment on this blog post and tell me – what setting would you like to see more of in historical romances? A winner will be drawn on Friday, June 25.

See, I told you this would be a quickie….

ETA: This contest is now over, and the winner has been notified.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Captain’s Wicked Wager by Marguerite Kaye
Historical romance ebook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Nov 2009

What makes a story work, or not work, for a reader, often comes down to a simple matter of timing.  This short story by Marguerite Kaye has been languishing on my Sony Reader for months now.  Life got busy, other obligations came forward, and it kept getting pushed aside.  If I had any inkling that it was set during the Georgian period, I have no doubt I wouldn’t have neglected it for so long!  It’s been ages since I’ve read a romance set during this time period, and this sexy short story hit the spot.

Isabella “Belle” Mansfield needs money, and needs it fast.  So she powders her hair, dons the nicest gown she can find, musters up some courage, and is letting it all ride at one of London’s most notorious gambling establishments.  However, the sheer size of her bets are giving the matron some pause.  She doesn’t have time to nickle-and-dime her way through the evening.  She needs to win bets, large bets, and fast.

Captain Ewan Dalgleish spies the breathtaking Isabella, is immediately intrigued, and tells the house that he is willing to cover her bets.  When her luck runs out, Ewan proposes another wager.  He’ll let her keep her money, and in exchange she must spend the next three nights with him, each evening resting on a roll of the dice.  Whomever wins the roll, will get to decide just how their evening will be spent.

This is a fairly conventional set-up, featuring the well-worn trope of the desperate heroine who enters into a wager with the hero, because honestly, she has very limited options.  It’s a plot that sings here because the author excels by writing anticipation.  The desire, and lust, that both characters feel for each other practically leaps off the page, and while this is a short story, I never felt like any of their encounters were rushed or rushed into it.  It was sexy and tantalizing!

What doesn’t work so well is the time frame.  The Harlequin Historical Undone line adheres the traditional romantic happily-ever-after, and for readers to buy into the one in this story, they need to be able to roll with the time table.  Hero and heroine do not know each other previous to meeting in the first couple of pages.  They spend two days, and three nights together, before declaring that they’re perfect for each other, want to spend their lives together, and admit their undying love.  Certainly, some readers are going to be able to roll with this, and some just flat-out aren’t.  I’m definitely not a love-at-first-sight kind of girl, but given the sizzle of the sexual encounters, and the anticipation factor that the author writes so well into the story?  It worked for me here.  It wasn’t perfect mind you, but I’m not left with the sinking filling that this relationship is on a slow boat to doom either.

This was a sexy, sizzling read, set against the exciting backdrop of Georgian London, post American Revolution.  Kaye appears to be a relatively new face in the Mills & Boon/Harlequin universe, and if this short story is any indication, I can’t wait to see what she can do with a full-length story.

Grade: B

Summary:

Captain Ewan Dalgleish was as famous for breaking society’s rules as for his daring exploits on the battlefield. Yet nothing could truly satisfy his need for excitement…until he laid eyes on beautiful Isabella Mansfield at the gaming saloon, staking her future on a turn of the cards. Her enticing combination of sensuality and haughtiness intrigued him as much as his notorious reputation interested her. So when Belle loses the money she so obviously needs, Ewan can’t resist making a scandalous wager: that in return for her money, she must spend three nights with him, each starting with the roll of the dice…and ending however the winner chooses…

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Wedding Night With The Ranger by Lauri Robinson
Historical western romance short story ebook  released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Feb 2010

I’ve been known to whine about the fact that the historical western sub genre is flourishing in the Christian/Inspirational market, while in secular corners it’s still an endangered species.  What was it that struck me most about Lauri Robinson’s short story, the first western to be published by Harlequin Historical Undone?  How “un-inspirational” it was.  I mean, hello?  A man of the cloth is the villain!

Former Texas Ranger, now rancher, Colt Severson, has just gotten himself married to Annalee Sapp, a young lady he’s been half in love with for the past three years.  He never came calling because of the belief that he’s not “good enough” for the likes of her.  Her entire life seems to be wrapped up in helping the local townspeople, along with the pious reverend.  Then, thanks to her scheming Daddy, Colt gets his fondest wish granted.  He and Annalee marry, and wanting to give her some time to adjust to the idea, he heads off to the local saloon for a drink.  He was prepared for her not being all that happy with this turn of events, but he sure as heck didn’t think she’d barge into the saloon brandishing a shotgun!

Annalee has been desperately in love with Colt for the past three years.  However, she is trapped.  Trapped under the thumb of the pious reverend, and trapped in the knowledge that she doesn’t have a chance in Hell of catching the eye of Dodge City’s most eligible bachelor.  Now her Daddy has interfered and Colt is forced to marry her!  Yes, it’s what she’s always wanted, but she is sick with the knowledge that Colt only married her because he “had to.”

What follows is a classic Big Misunderstanding.  Both Annalee and Colt are crazy for each other, but both of them think they forced the other one into marriage.  This part of the conflict is actually wrapped up fairly quickly, and it’s nice that this was a short story, because this aspect isn’t dragged out ad nauseam.

On the other hand, the short story format gives the rest of this tale a half-finished feel.  Annalee’s father actually plays a healthy role in this story – entirely off-page.  We never meet the man!  Then there is the local reverend, who serves as the villain.  He has an obligatory appearance, but he’s all bark, with no bite.  It gives credence to this reader’s theory that this may have started out as a longer novella, and was chopped down to fit the word count of the Undone line.

I was most surprised by the tone of the story, which gives us a reverend villain, and a heroine who is desperate to escape the dull existence of endless charity work.  A heroine who hates charity work!  Granted, this makes her seem a tinch selfish, but dang, it was kind of refreshing to read about a romance heroine who wants her own life, and not be at the constant beck-and-call of others.

This is a quick, decent read, that kept me entertained on my lunch break.  The prose definitely tends to run purple during the love scenes, and while the short format hindered the role of the heroine’s father and villain, there was enough here to keep me turning the pages.  It didn’t light my world on fire, but there was enough memorable here for me to consider reading more Lauri Robinson in the future.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Dodge City, Kansas. 1880.

Texas Ranger-turned-rancher Colt Severson received plenty of advice on how to handle his wife on their wedding night—but not on what to do if she pointed a shotgun at him!

For Annalee Sapp, becoming Colt’s bride was both a nightmare and a dream come true. The handsome rancher was the perfect husband, if only he hadn’t been tricked into marrying her! He’d be stunned to learn of all the scandalous thoughts she had about him….. But once their wedding night arrives, it’s only a matter of time before their passion explodes…and the truth about their impulsive marriage is revealed!

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Notorious Eliza by Barbara Monajem
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Jan 2010

Thanks to Georgette Heyer, the Regency time period has been romanticized to within an inch of it’s life.  This is great fun for readers who enjoy that sort of thing – proper young ladies, rakes reformed by true love, endless balls, galas and trips to Almack’s.  Then there are readers like me who get worn out from all the shiny, and go turning over rocks looking for the seedy underbelly.  Barbara Monajem ‘s debut short story for Harlequin Historical Undone can’t really be classified as “gritty” – but it’s so breathtakingly refreshing that I can even overlook the fact that the heroine commits one of my hot button pet peeves.

Eliza Daughtry has a notorious reputation.  Before her husband died, they delighted in flaunting convention, thumbing their noses at society, and doing as they pleased.  It’s all come back to haunt her now though.  Her husband’s death left their finances in chaos, and she’s been earning a living painting nude portraits of other men’s mistresses.  Since “good girls” shouldn’t know what nude bodies look like (even their own), and she very comfortably paints pictures of whores, well that means she must be one.  But our girl really has no other option.  She’s an extremely gift painter, the job pays exceedingly well, and she’s a single mother to a young son.

Patrick Felham is a rake, who married a woman whose reputation was just as wild as his own.  When she dies in an accident, that makes him a single father to their young daughter.  The girl needs a mother, so Patrick has been making the rounds looking for a suitable, proper, gentle born wife.  Unfortunately, none are forthcoming.  Not because of his reputation, but because all these “acceptable” beauties end up showing their true colors before he pops the question.  Then he gets word that his uncle has hired Eliza to paint over some scandalous portraits.  Patrick was great friends with Eliza’s late husband, and even rescued a nude self-portrait of Eliza from an auction house.  Now the delectable woman is right under his nose, at his uncle’s estate.  What to do, what to do?

Take everything you know about Regency historicals in Romance Novel Land, and throw it out the window right now.  Patrick adored his scandalous wife, and the rumors surrounding her death have hurt him deeply.  Eliza actually ::gasp:: loved her late husband, and ::double gasp:: enjoyed having sex with him, and ::triple gasp, dead faint:: misses having sex!  She’s also fed up with painting nudes, and more than past fed up of thwarting the advances of the men who hire her.  Patrick is the first man to cross her path in five long years that kicks her libido into overdrive, but she’s well aware of how the world works, and knows full well a brief affair is all it can ever be.  Or can it?

Where this story stumbles is after the first sexual encounter, and Eliza’s reaction to it.  For someone so smart, her reaction to the lack of “prevention” (yeah, let’s call it that) was insipid, insulting and out of character.  Frankly, she starts out incredibly refreshing and that one scene has her reverting back to common clap-trap found in countless romance novels I’ve thrown against walls over the years.

That huge, massive misstep aside, I really did enjoy this story.  If ever a romantic couple were made for each other, it’s Eliza and Patrick.  It was also nice to read a Regency-set tale that was the flip-side to the stories we mostly tend to see in the genre.  It was naughty, sexy, and while not perfect, was a very good show indeed.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Eliza Dauntry was infamous. Most people assumed she was a wanton because she supported herself and her son by painting portraits of courtesans. Yet Eliza hadn’t been tempted by a man since her husband’s death…until she met Patrick Felham. An old friend of her husband and a one-time rake, Patrick awakened a yearning in Eliza that demanded to be satisfied at once….

Patrick was looking for an upright woman to become his wife and stepmother to his daughter, not a siren like Eliza Dauntry! But Eliza had aroused his desire ever since he saved her scandalous self-portrait from the auction house. The chance of an affair with the alluring widow was irresistible, but this notorious woman could also turn out to be his perfect bride…

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of An Accidental Seduction by Michelle Willingham
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Jan 2010

I’ve often said that the short story Harlequin Historical Undone line is like a gateway drug.  I read them because they’re quick, sexy reads, and often times I find myself getting sucked into a series or trying full-length novels by new-to-me authors.  This latest from Michelle Willingham is a prequel to her February Harlequin Historical release, An Accidental Countess, and introduces us to the romantic couple.

Emily Barrow is the daughter of a Baron, but thanks to family scandal her situation is rather dire.  Firmly on the shelf, she’s living a hand to mouth existence at the family country estate.  It’s so bad that she’s let all the servants go, and most of the furniture is gone, either having been sold off, or used as fire wood.  In fact, that’s what Emily is doing at the start of this story.  She’s out trying to split wood so she’ll have heat for the night.  That’s where childhood friend, and unrequited love, Stephen Chesterfield, the Earl of Whitmore finds her.

Emily tries to snow the man, but she doesn’t fool him.  Emily is too thin, wearing little more than rags, and while she maybe holding her head high, things have gotten very bad indeed.  Stephen is determined to protect her.

What follows is a story in the vein of Cinderella.  Nice, smart, resourceful girl, who has been cast aside by her useless relations gets rescued by handsome prince.  It’s straight-up rescue fantasy all the way.  Normally the sort of story that gets on my last good nerve, but Emily carries the day by not being one of those Victorian misses who meekly sits in the corner waiting for Prince Charming to arrive on the scene.  Of course she’s living hand to mouth, and things are anything but rosy, but bless her heart – she’s trying and doing the best she can.

Since this is a prequel, the author has to hold some of her cards back for the full-length novel that features the same romantic couple.  At that end, as a stand-alone story, this one isn’t perfect.  The happily-ever-after is extremely reserved, and one is left with the impression that Stephen and Emily are together, not so much because of true love, but because she needs a knight in shining armor, and he needs a wife who doesn’t annoy the crap out of him to get his matchmaking mama off his back.  But the story does end in a nice spot that sets the reader up with the hope that these two crazy kids are eventually going to realize how hopelessly in love with each other they are.  It’s not the best stand-alone tale, but as a prequel, it’s top-notch.  Now I’m really looking forward to reading An Accidental Countess.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Emily Barrow once dreamed that she could marry Stephen Chesterfield, the Earl of Whitmore, and be saved from her dreary life. Then Stephen’s father sent him away, leaving Emily broken-hearted…

Now Stephen has returned to find Emily destitute and alone. He has vowed to help her without compromising her honor…but Emily has other ideas. She doesn’t want his charity, but she does long to know what it would be like to take him as a lover, even if marriage is out of the question. Confined to close quarters with their passion burning as brightly as ever, will Stephen be able to resist the temptation and rescue her, or give in to his desire and completely ruin her?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Seducing a Stranger by Christine Merrill
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Nov 09

Sometimes all it takes is a shorter format to make me more tolerant of certain storylines.  If Seducing a Stranger had been a full-length Harlequin Historical, it probably would have gotten on my nerves.  However as a short read that I zipped through on my lunch break?  It hit the spot.

Victoria Paget was a faithful, dutiful wife who followed her soldier husband to the battlefields of Europe.  When he is killed, she returned home to England, a young widow with many questions.  Her husband had voiced concerns about Timothy Godfrey, a Lieutenant in his unit.  When the entire regiment is killed and only Timothy survives, it’s easy for Victoria to become suspicious.  Is it possible that Lt. Godfrey was a French spy that led her husband to his death?  Determined to ferret out the truth, she discovers he’s a patron of a certain brothel.  With some help, she makes plans to meet him there under the guise of being one of the new girls.

When Timothy enters the brothel he is shocked to discover Victoria Paget.  Between the stories that Captain Paget told about his wife, and the miniature he carried with him, Timothy was more than a little envious.  He half fell in love with her, even though they had never met.  He wanted to speak with Victoria after her husband’s death, but she quickly left for England and he was transferred to a different regiment – only to return home to England shortly thereafter thanks to his own battlefield injury.  But now that he has Victoria in his sights, he’s not letting her get away.

What follows is the classic Big Misunderstanding plot.  Timothy thinks Victoria has fallen on hard times after her husband’s death (why else is she in a brothel?) and being the gallant, valiant sort, is determined to protect her.  Victoria thinks that Timothy is a traitorous scum bag who led her husband to his death, but she’s quickly having doubts.  Not only does this man stir her passions, but he certainly doesn’t act or live like someone in cahoots with the enemy.

Naturally it all eventually comes tumbling out, in no small measure thanks to the lust shared between both characters.  The Undone line promises spicy love scenes, and the author certainly delivers!

At the end, all is right with the world, although I was a little surprised how quickly Timothy forgives Victoria for her deception.  Oh, who am I kidding?  Just the fact that these two didn’t come from money and weren’t titled had me halfway sold on this story before I even started it.

That said, if you have an extreme displeasure for the Big Mis, this one will probably irritate.  But for this reader, it was just right.

Grade: B

Summary:

Though Lieutenant Tom Godfrey had never met Victoria Paget, he desired her. The late Captain Paget’s stories of his wife—and her portrait—were enough to arouse his envy…and his lust. Now Tom’s returned from the peninsula—and never expected to find the young widow in a bawdy house!

Necessity had brought Victoria to the house of ill repute: it was the only place she could confront Tom, whom she suspected was responsible for her husband’s death. But when she meets the virile soldier, his gallantry and her body’s passionate response to him take her completely by surprise.

What started as a one-night seduction may lead to much more…but will they still have a future when all their secrets are revealed?

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Maid’s Lover by Amanda McCabe
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Dec 09

Amanda McCabe is quickly becoming one of my go-to historical authors when I’m in the mood for “different.”  Her latest short story for the Undone line features the criminally underused Elizabethan England locale to tell the story of two clandestine lovers.

Anne Percy may be related to nobility, but she’s a poor little orphan girl with few prospects.  There isn’t a lot of joy in her life, until she hooks up with Robert, Viscount Langley, a darling in Queen Elizabeth’s court.  These two cannot keep their hands off each other, arranging secret trysts in the woods near Anne’s home.  However the girl does see the writing on the wall.  She has zero prospects, while Robert is an heir – one expected to make a spectacular match.  He says they just have to be patient, but as the woman in this 16th century affair, she has everything to lose.  So even with her heart breaking, she cuts him loose.  Months later, now living at court, Anne has once again fallen under Robert’s spell – and this time, he’s not letting her get away.

This is ultimately a story about two people unwilling to compromise and communicate with each other.  Robert says they need to be patient, while Anne wants to scurry off and elope.  He’s definitely the more prudent of the two, but it’s easy to understand Anne’s fears.  Her and Robert have spectacular sex together, but he’s not exactly falling on bended knee declaring his undying love for her either.  Still, I couldn’t help but think that Anne was being a bit rash and silly – especially when later in the story she pulls a stunt to gain Robert’s attention.  Why she does this I have no idea.  I mean, the guy has sex with her in a hallway after a dinner at court and she still thinks she doesn’t have his attention?  Trust me cupcake.  You do.

What McCabe does exceedingly well is write about this time period.  It was downright refreshing to read about the Elizabethan era, and the excitement at court surrounding the Christmas holiday.  It’s a setting you don’t see every day in historical romance, and the author must have really thrown herself into research to include some of the interesting details that are found in the story.

Ultimately this was an OK read that kept me entertained on my lunch break.  The chemistry between Anne and Robert really sizzles, but there were moments when I was a touch annoyed with our fair heroine.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Anne Percy lived for her secret trysts with Robert, Viscount Langley, heir to a wealthy earldom and star of Queen Elizabeth’s court. Only then could she forget her life as a poor orphan at the mercy of her noble relatives and lose herself in the delights of his body. Every time they came together, it was just as passionate and wonderful as their first encounter. But even though Robert seemed to want her as much as she craved him, marriage appeared to be one thing they couldn’t share.

Now the lovers are reunited at the Queen’s Christmas feast—where Robert vows to show Anne they should never be apart…and to give her a very sensual Christmas Eve surprise.

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Warrior’s Forbidden Virgin by Michelle Willingham
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Sept 2009

Michelle Willingham is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors for the Harlequin Historical line, and with her second Undone short story, she’s one step closer to landing on my auto-buy list.  Alright, I’ll admit – it doesn’t exactly hurt her cause any that she has written one of my very favorite types of heroes in this story

Sir Ademar of Dolwyth is a very handsome and skilled knight.  Unfortunately he’s not terribly outgoing with the ladies, and has trouble formulating this thoughts into speech.  Part of the reason is that he’s painfully shy, the other part being that his father branded him a dimwit from a very young age.  He’s madly in love with Lady Katherine or Ardennes, and has traveled a long way to throw his hat in the ring of potential suitors.  Too bad she’s in love with someone else.

Katherine fancies herself in love with Ewan MacEgan.  However, he’s in love with her older sister Honora.  Katherine feels betrayed, to say the least.  She’s bitter, angry, but clearly sees the truth written all over Ewan’s face.  He loves her sister, not her.  In her despair she’s wandering around the battlements in the rain when Ademar happens upon her.  He wants to comfort her, but the words won’t come.  Instead of sending him away, she asks him to stay.

What follows is Katherine realizing that her “love” for Ewan was nothing more than a crush, and her seeing Ademar for who he truly is.  A good, brave man, who would lay down his own life to protect and love her.  I’m a complete and total sucker for a shy romance hero who is unsure of his worthiness for the heroine, and on that score I fell hook, line and sinker for Ademar.  I was ready to run away with him myself before I was even past the first few pages.  Katherine took some time to grow on me, mostly because she was pining for another man, and there were moments where I felt like she was using Ademar – but ultimately she comes around and realizes what a wonderful guy he is.

This story actually runs parallel to Willingham’s upcoming full-length Harlequin Historical, Taming Her Irish Warrior, which tells the story of Ewan’s and Honora’s romance.  While I have yet to read it, this short story reads like it literally could have been dropped in the middle of that book if the author didn’t have to adhere to a word count for the HH line.  As it is, this story stands alone very well, and gives the reader a taste of what the full-length novel will be like, which will surely entice a fair number of readers.

Grade: B

Summary:

Sir Ademar of Dolwyth does not think beautiful Lady Katherine of Ardennes would ever consider him for her husbandespecially since she is in love with someone else! But when Katherine’s heart is broken, Ademar is there to offer her comfort…and passion. For though the Norman knight cannot tell Katherine how he feels, he can show her without using any words at all….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of A Night For Her Pleasure by Terri Brisbin
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Jun 09

Sooner or later, it happens to every reader. The ol’ “It’s Not You, It’s Me” affliction that sometimes happens when we pick up a new story. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, it just isn’t for you. That’s exactly what happened to me with A Night For Her Pleasure.

Simon, Count of Rennes has just married his fair, innocent bride, Elise. The wedding feast is well underway, but instead of celebrating his marriage, he’s fretting about the wedding night. While noble, Simon sees himself as brutish and rough. He fears he will frighten, scare off, and scar his virginal wife, who he is already hopelessly captivated with. In turn, Elise is fretting about pleasing her husband. Her mother’s advice on the marriage bed essentially consisted of lie back and take it. Then her cousin shares with her a very enlightening conversation she had with Simon’s former mistress. Needless to say, Elise is a bundle of nerves because she has absolutely no idea what to do or what to expect. All she knows is that she loves her husband.

Enjoyment of this story pretty much hinges on how tolerant the reader is of virginal heroines. Certainly Elise isn’t all bad. At least she doesn’t get wide-eyed, point at Simon’s naughty bits and exclaim, “You’re going to be that there?!?!” Still, I found myself getting annoyed by her reticence and her constant referral to Simon’s naughty bits as his “privy parts.” 

A Night For Her Pleasure also serves as a prequel to the author’s new series for Harlequin Historical, The Knights of Brittany. Certainly, almost all of these Undone stories are parts of series, but in this instance I felt it was a bit heavy-handed. The inclusion of those Knights dangerously bordered on info-dumping and they didn’t serve any purpose in this story other than to be series-bait.

All that said, I think this story will be more enjoyable for readers looking for a hot, historical read but who don’t necessarily enjoy the recent trend towards franker language. In other words, if you want hot without reading the F-bomb or the C-bomb, this story will most definitely scratch your itch. It reminded me of the older, sexier historicals from back in the day, before the erotic romance boom as we know it firmly took hold. For this reader though, I think I probably would have preferred it if Simon had married his mistress.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Brittany, 1066
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Elise saved her family from ruin by marrying Simon, Count of Rennes. Yet this is no mere marriage of convenience–Elise has already fallen in love with her new husband. Intending to please him, Elise sets out to be the bold and seductive woman she thinks Simon desires–even though she’s an inexperienced, innocent virgin.
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On this their wedding day, Simon is determined to skillfully arouse his new wife and initiate her into the pleasures of the bedchamber, although he fears a woman so feminine and delicate could never love a nobleman as rough as he.
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Once their wedding night arrives, Simon and Elise will both discover ecstasy beyond their wildest imaginings….
.
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Disrobed and Dishonored by Louise Allen
Historical romance ebook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 May 09

I’ve been reading quite a few sexy short stories lately and a popular theme keeps cropping up in the historicals. The heroine finds herself betrothed to a thoroughly undesirable beau and figures the best way to get out of the situation is to rid herself of her virginity. Sometimes this particular trope works for me… and sometimes it doesn’t. It all boils down to how well the author can sell the characters, and in this case I had a bit of a mixed reaction.

Jonathan Kirkland, Lord Redcliffe is playing the part of a highwayman to win a bet. His mission is to secure kisses, and tokens of proof, from five passing women. He’s done an admirable job so far, and only needs to land one more kiss, when Miss Sarah Tatton comes barreling down the road, on horseback, wearing an evening gown.

Sarah has just learned that the “good catch” fiance that her father secured for her is a lout who accosted her personal maid. She cannot marry such a vile man, but her father is unmoved and suggests the maid was “asking for it.” Sarah reacts by running off into the night, and now she finds herself confronted by the most perplexing highwayman. As they both start talking an idea strikes her. Her odious fiance only cares about her virginity. If this highwayman were to “compromise” her, her father would have no choice but to call off the wedding. Hooray!

In order for this story to work the reader has to buy the fairly preposterous plot. By all accounts, Sarah has led a sheltered, perfectly respectable life. Certainly marriage to the fiance is a despicable proposition, but Sarah goes from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds when it comes to the matter of her virginity. Something she’s been guarding her entire life and she’s ready to be gone with it in a blink of an eye. There’s really no hesitation on her part and it didn’t feel genuine to me. I’m beginning to suspect that the Please Take My Virginity plot only works for me in “gritty settings” and this tale is very much written in the vein of delightful, light, Regency romp. Hence, me not being entirely convinced.

That being said, there is certainly a charm in Allen’s writing, and the chemistry between Jonathan and Sarah is quite good. I also admired the way that the author tied this into her series about the Ravenhurst clan without making those characters feel intrusive. They actually had a role in this story and weren’t merely walk-ons to serve as series bait.

While I wasn’t completely enthralled with this tale, it was a pleasant read and had it’s charms. I suspect it will work better for diehard fans of lighter Regency fare.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Hidden behind a mask, Jonathan Kirkland, Lord Redcliffe, has disguised himself as a highwayman to win a wager: to collect kisses from the first five women who pass. With only one kiss left, victory seems easy…until he encounters Miss Sarah Tatton, who has fled on horseback to escape her vile fiancé.Distraught and desperate, the last thing Sarah needs is to run straight into the arms of a highwayman. But his heart-stopping kiss gives Sarah an idea—to lose her virginity in order to break her engagement. And the surprisingly gentlemanlike thief is just the man to teach her the art of love…at least enough to pretend that she has lost her virtue.
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But as Jonathan and Sarah’s passion grows, all pretense must come to an end…
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Welcome to another fun day of Duck Chat!

Harlequin Historical author Bronwyn Scott is joining us today.

Bronwyn’s first book with HH is the one with a really fun cover, Pickpocket Countess. She followed that up with Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady, Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss, which is a Harlequin Undone!, and The Viscount Claims His Bride. Harlequin is also releasing a Regency Bundle of her books, exlcuding the Undone!, in January 2010. Her latest book, The Earl’s Forbidden Ward, available in both print and e, is out this month through Mills & Boon.

She also enjoys success writing as Nikki Poppen through Avalon Books. The Romany Heiress, The Heroic Baron, and The Dowager’s Wager are a few of her titles under that name. Bronwyn is married; she and her husband have three kids and live in the Puget Sound area of the U.S.  She is an instructor of speech communications at her local community college, loves traveling, and considers Italy her second home. Bronwyn will be talking to us today about all of her books and then some.

Be sure to leave that meaningful comment, ‘cuz Bronwyn’s giving away a book or two! Now let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Bronwyn, I’d like to first chat about your covers. Most of yours are, of course, romantic, but you have had one really fun cover, which is my favorite, Pickpocket Countess. I know there was some flack about it here and there by some readers, but I don’t think they got the point of the cover. What was your reaction when you first saw it?

BRONWYN SCOTT: I loved it! Pickpocket Countess was my first cover at Harlequin Mills and Boon. I thought it suited the mood of the story and the characters well. The appeal of the book from the start was always Nora, the heroine. She’s strong, sexually confident, and bold in all aspects of her life. I thought the idea of the heroine grabbing (or caressing if you prefer) the hero’s backside was quite apropos. The colors are gorgeous and there’s enough detail to let the reader know at first glance that this will be a Regency era story.

Right now, I’m working on Jack and Dulci’s story (they’re both secondary characters in Pickpocket Countess) and I told my editor I wanted another cover of that caliber for them. I was so disappointed to hear that Pickpocket Countess was a one-time shot. There will never be another cover like that. Honestly, I don’t really get what’s not awesome about the cover. It was different, but I didn’t think it was that controversial…apparently it was. It was great publicity, though, for my debut novel. Even over a year later people at conferences say, “You’re the one who wrote the butt cover book.” I say “Yep, and the story’s pretty darn good too.”

DC: Pickpocket Countess is also my favorite book of yours so far (followed closely by Notorious Rake, Innocent Miss). Where did the idea for the story come from? Would you tell our readers about Brandon and Cat?

BS: The original title for the manuscript was the Cat of Manchester, but that didn’t have enough marketing cachet to it. Marketing really grabbed on to the line that ends one of the later chapters which used the phrase pickpocket countess.

I got the idea of a female Robin Hood over dinner and wine one night talking about potential story lines. I’m a big fan of twisting iconic story lines and fitting them to new time periods or tweaking them around in substantial ways. I’ve always liked Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare work like Love’s Labors Lost where he puts the story in a time period outside its original intention.

Over dinner the Robin Hood story line came up and I kept thinking about a time in more modern English history when the poor were especially at the whims of the rich. I kept going back to the earlier parts of the Industrial Revolution and thinking that would be a great time period. Then I went back and more fully investigated the Reform Act of 1831 and knew I’d found the right time. But I still thought the plot sounded too ordinary, so I decided to make the Robin Hood character a female. Once I did that, I felt I had something a bit different—there would be no debut balls for her and none of the story is set in London. This made research fun. It was great to get out of London and away from tonnish personalities and lifestyles.

There were two challenges with the story. One was the pacing. The story starts out with action and it has to keep escalating. It was a great mental exercise to figure out ways Brandon and Nora would be able to one-up each other. I am very proud of how the plot and pacing turn out. The story is a fun, energetic romp, a good adventure. I enjoy reading adventure stories where I get sucked into the plot. I forget about whether or not the hero and heroine are in bed all the time, I’m more interested in how they play each other. I loved reading reviews that picked up on the adventure energy, and the sharp dialogue. Romantic Times loved it and gave it a four-star review. Most people loved it for those reasons. But I got disappointed with readers that said there wasn’t enough sex, or that they skipped ahead to the sex. I think they missed out, although the sex scenes were pretty steamy since the characters are two older, mature, consensual adults.

The second challenge was making sure that Brandon and Nora respected each other at all times. They one up each other in the course of their game, but they don’t do it in hopes of embarrassing the other or humiliating the other. They had to make their point and do it without crossing the line of respect. Otherwise, it seems unbelievable that they’d develop any kind of relationship where affections would be honestly engaged. For instance, in the scene where she ties him to the bed, I’m quick to note as the next chapter begins that the ropes weren’t tied so tight that Brandon has to call for his valet to come untie him. Because that would be awful!! How embarrassing to be naked and tied up and have to rely on your valet. However would he explain that without losing face? And it would say that he couldn’t trust her, let alone love her. Few of us love people who embarrass us or use us for their own personal gain.

DC: If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

BS: Nothing really annoys me, so it’s hard to answer. But perhaps the question “how long have you written and how did you get started?” would qualify. I think my answer is fairly typical of what many authors say. I’ve always written. I liked to write. By third grade I’d written a Nancy Drew mystery play I had my class perform (I made up my own mystery, not a ‘stage adaptation’ (smiles) and by fourth grade I was writing for young author conferences. But I never finished a full-length manuscript or even attempted one until after my son was born in 1999. I used to play the piano a lot and I even had a piano job at a coffee shop that I was very proud of. But babies napping and piano practicing don’t go together well. I picked my writing back up as something to do that was relaxing and personal while the baby slept. It took two years to finish the manuscript, mostly because I didn’t outline it, I didn’t know what the characters were doing and because I had no particular discipline. I might go a whole month without writing anything. I think that was because I was pretty sure this book would end up like all the others—unfinished. But then I starting re-reading it and it was good. That made me get serious. I finished it and went to RWA in New York in 2003 and that was the start.

I didn’t sell that first manuscript, but I came home from New York with a plan and wrote a Regency because I thought everyone in historical romance should be able to do a Regency, it’s a staple like every piano player worth their salt can whip out Fur Elise or Moonlight Sonata. I wrote the Regency as a repertoire builder, an exercise. But this time I had discipline. I wrote it in three months and sold it a year later. It’s called The Dowager’s Wager and it became my first book.

DC: You’ve also written a Harlequin Undone!. Are those shorter stories easier or more difficult to write?

BS: They’re a blast to write. I love doing them. They’re a bit harder because you have to cut down on detail and background. These stories are only 15,000 words, even shorter than a novella. But the stories are fun because there’s a chance to use different locations. I’ve used the coast of Spain, Vienna, and Florence so far and I have plans for three more, one of which will be set in Vienna and the others will be somewhere in Italy. The stories are also fun because you can be a bit more explicit and bold.

DC: I enjoyed Julian and Sophie’s Undone! story. Can you give us a little insight into their relationship?

BS: They recognize a kindred soul in each other almost from the start. They both have chosen paths outside of society. Even though Julian is the brother of an earl, he’s the second son and he’s chosen a path out of the limelight of the ton. Sophie is accustomed to relying only on herself and she’s stumbled on to the path of being a jewel thief almost by accident, but she discovered she was good at it and she’s able to justify most of her thefts as ‘returns’ to legitimate owners.

Immediately, they have some fundamentals ideals in common. They both justify their actions in terms of ethics. Neither one of them think of themselves as particularly criminal, just officers of justice of a different sort. I think this imbues them with a code of ethics and a sense of respect. They’re also both people who enjoy game playing. Like Brandon and Nora, they like sparring because their wits are so equally matched and challenged. They’re also careful not to take things too far and hurt the other. Julian is a gentleman and he has his code of honor when it comes to Sophie. Once he realizes she’s in danger, he is quick to protect her even though it might make his job easier if she were out of the picture. Finally, they’re both flirty and bold which made it fun to write about. Neither one of them are shrinking violets or afraid of their passions.

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

BS: No, I am an absolute control freak. They don’t do anything I haven’t planned for them. I outline, I think ahead. I get most of my research done ahead of time so I don’t have to stop and go find something. Once I start writing, I write almost nonstop until the book is done.

As for dialogue, I know what kinds of things the character would say and how he/she might say them; some characters are funny, some are sharp, some are cutting. Nora, for instance, was sharp and she’d pick up on word play. Valerian wasn’t so much sharp as he was insightful. He would say things that would make the heroine stop and think about something profound.

I like to play with words and innuendo, so I think quite a bit about how the characters might say certain things.

DC: Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady was also a fun read. Paine and Julia are a great couple. Would you tell us about them?
BS: I liked them. They were a lot different than other character couples I’ve done. Nora and Brandon, Sophie and Julian, Grayson and Elena, Phillippa and Valerian, Andrew and Olivia are all mature people who have either been married, widowed (in the case of the heroines) or had mistresses (in the case of the heroes). But Julia is an innocent debutante and Paine hasn’t been innocent for a very long time. They’re my only couple that meets each other on sexually uneven ground. In fact, Julia and Paine were such an interesting couple that they became the dominant part of the story. Originally, I’d thought to spend more time developing the seedy-side of London aspect of the story and make the story more of a sensual awakening tale. I’d originally called the story “the Lady Awakes.” But it ended up in a different place, a much more character driven story than I’d thought it would be when I laid it out.

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

BS: I always win. But they don’t argue too much because I’m such a fan of outlining. Jack has been the hardest character so far. He does a turn in Pickpocket Countess as a man who dresses as a fop but works for the king as a private agent. But when I sat down to write Jack and Dulci’s story, the fop part didn’t work out like I had intended, so Jack has been recrafted. After all, their story is set four years after Pickpocket Countess. It is now 1835. But I did write three different opening chapters before ending up with a first chapter that worked. I finally took some advice Claire Delacroix gave a few years back when she said she would write three chapters and then end up throwing them out because they’d be too much back story. She started to realize that chapter 3 usually ended up being chapter 1. That worked for me in this case.

DC: I know I gave you a little bit of a hard time in my review about less action in The Viscount Claims His Bride, but I did enjoy the story and I know other readers really liked this book for that same reason. Do you even think of things like that when writing? Are you surprised at the reactions you do get from your readers on this type of issue?

BS: I usually feel like I know what people will appreciate ahead of time. I’ve noticed I have two pretty distinct readerships out there. I have a lovely historical readership that just adored The Viscount Claims His Bride. They got into the setting, the descriptions of the weather, of Cornwall and its wildlife, the cool bit about visiting Trist House while it was under restoration (which it really was that year), the banking issue that plays a small part in the story, the conversation Beldon and Valerian have about the Bickford fuse, all of that had enormous appeal for them. Romantic Times even noted the excellent overview the book provides about post Napoleonic Europe, which tickled me silly because I am a double minor in history and foreign policy. These readers liked Viscount, and I knew they would. They’re the readers that also liked Pickpocket Countess for the maps of Manchester and the reform politics. They’re not the readers that liked Notorious Rake, which was too sexy for many of them and not very deep on plot or historical relevance.

On the other hand, the Notorious Rake readership loved the two Undones but found Viscount too slow for their tastes. The second Ramsden brother book (Peyton’s story), The Earl’s Forbidden Ward, will probably appeal more to the Viscount group, but the last book, Crispin’s story and currently untitled, is sizzling hot and sexy and will appeal to the Notorious Rake group. Crispin spends plenty of time in bed with the unconventional heroine, Aurora Calhoun. Still, for history lovers out there, I do have some interesting historical background. Aurora is set on racing in the premiere steeple chase of the time; St. Albans. I found great documentation of the 1835 St. Albans steeple chase; the list of riders and horses, who finished, who fell, which horse had a fatal accident on the course, the controversy about the starting line and the controversy over who wins, even information on the hotel the riders stayed at. As you can see, I was very excited about that part of the book.

DC: Would you tell us about Val and Phillipa, please?

BS: I wanted to explore the whole ‘return of the childhood sweetheart’ aspect of relationships. 20/20 did a special a few years back about how people are turning to old high school sweethearts for their second significant relationship (after a divorce, after a death, these are people we seek out to reconnect with). It was also interesting to me that scientists think we have a love radar that is pretty accurate up until the age of 18. This makes sense to me. When we’re 18, people start hounding us “what do you want to be?” “What are you going to do after high school?” They also start stressing what kind of qualities we ought to be looking for in a mate and all this crowds our love radar. The pre-18 love radar for most of us, draws us to people who are like us, value the same things, see the world the same way. I wanted to explore that with Val and Phillippa. He’s loved her since he was 15 and she’s loved him, but the world gets in the way and pulls them apart for several years. When he returns, she’s been widowed, she’s been a duchess and now she’s running a huge estate/mines, etc. on her own. She wants to believe her initial instincts about Val were right years ago before the world got in the way, but she’s struggling to trust her own love radar in regards to Valerian. In this story, the villain is a perfect foil for the love radar theory. On the surface, Lucien is everything society says she ought to respect in a man and a second husband, but beneath the surface the reader learns he is very corrupt.

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

BS: Home improvement projects like rearranging furniture , cleaning up the kids’ bedrooms, and a good Macy’s sale.

DC: You also write under the name of Nikki Poppen. Would you tell us about the books you’ve published there?

BS: Under my own name, I write for Avalon Books. They were the ones who bought my first manuscript The Dowager’s Wager. I have written six books with them since 2005. There’s a regency series which starts with The Dowager’s Wager, followed by The Heroic Baron and Romany Heiress. I also have a Victorian series which starts with Newport Summer (came out February 2009) and “The MadCap,” which comes out in December, and another book that isn’t under way yet. The books for Avalon are for the public library system, so they have to adhere to a certain code: the hero can’t drink excessively, have mistresses that we know about, flaunt his sexual prowess, or smoke. The Heroine is absolutely a virgin or the issue of her purity never really comes up and there are no explicit love scenes. Essentially, PG or PG-13 rated romance books. My editor over there is Faith Black and she’s hilarious. I love working with her.

DC: How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

BS: I have learned to make them more three dimensional, but that’s always a work in process. I’ve only been writing since 2005 so there’s lots to learn. The big difference I can see these days is the style of revisions my editor at Harlequin sends. Early on there were comments about how realistic it would be for a character to think certain things at certain times. These days I’ve gotten a lot better at placing introspection in more logical places. I’ve also gotten better at working in back story tidbits. Instead of paragraphs of back story or a big self-disclosure chapter, now I try to work in the bits and pieces through dialogue tags. You can check this out by comparing The Dowager’s Wager to The Viscount. But I think readers will really see it in Crispin’s story and with Jack and Dulci.

DC: The Earl’s Forbidden Ward from Mills and Boon is due out this month. Can you give us a sneak peek?

BS: I like this story so much! The heroine, Tessa Branscombe, is a diplomat’s daughter from Russia. Her father, a British diplomat, dies in St. Petersburg and she and her sisters return to London. Unknown to her, the Russians believe she is in possession of a list her father compiled of British businessmen who’d be willing to fund a rebellion against the Czar in exchange for guaranteed water rights in the Dardanelle Straits. The British want this list and so do the Russians. The race is on. Enter Peyton Ramsden, the Earl of Dursley (and Paine’s brother). The Foreign Office asks Peyton to masquerade as the Branscombe girls’ guardian in order to get the list, but he falls in love with Tessa Branscombe in the process.

Peyton and Tessa are both sharp, sophisticated adults who understand their political world. I had a great time with their history. There’s also some nice scenes with Crispin to keep him in the forefront of the reader’s mind! If you read The Earl’s Forbidden Ward, you get a solid sense of where Crispin’s coming from and the kind of battles he wages with himself.  [Ed. click here for an excerpt]

DC: Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try?

BS: I like 19th century history, so I am very happy there. I would like to do more American fiction. I have great hopes of doing American history stories along the lines of what Philippa Gregory has done with English history. I would also like to write American centered historical romance. I’ve not yet figured out why there’s such a small market demand for 17th-19th century American romantic fiction because I love that time period.

DC: How long does it usually take for a UK publication to make it over to the U.S.?

BS: It really depends. My North American releases came out in the UK within a couple months of their release here. But The Earl’s Forbidden Ward is my first UK release where the UK release has preceded a North American release.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

BS: Keep writing! I took several years off of fiction writing (from age 24 to about age 32) and I’m not sure why I did that. I did spend a lot of time writing at work. I am a college professor, so there’s plenty of nonfiction writing to do. But I didn’t do anything significant with fiction writing after grad school.

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

BS: Well, I’d still be teaching college because that’s what I do in ‘real life.’ But I’d probably be playing the piano in some kind of semi-professional way.

DC: What’s next for Bronwyn Scott?

BS: I am thrilled to be the historical faculty member for the South Carolina Writer’s conference this October in Myrtle Beach (so if you’re looking for conference to attend where you get a lot of hands on time to write and work with writing professionals, come check us out).

I am looking forward to finishing Jack and Dulci’s story in July and starting Beldon and Lilya’s story in late August.

I’ll be celebrating Crispin Ramsden’s hot story the first part of 2010 (approximately, there’s no hard core release date set yet) Then, I’ll be free to start a new set of characters. It’s all under wraps right now, but I’ve got two great series coming up and I can hardly wait to get to them!

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?    – Dark!
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?    – Smooth
- heels or flats?    -  Heels (I’m only 4”11 ¾)
- coffee or tea?    – Tea (herbal, no caffeine here except in chocolate).
- summer or winter?     – Usually winter but this year I can hardly wait for nice weather
- mountains or beach?     – Mountains
- mustard or mayonnaise?      – Mayo!!!
- flowers or candy?    – Candy but I like both quite a lot.
- pockets or purse?    -  Purse
- Pepsi or Coke?     -  Pepsi (but caffeine free of course).
- ebook or print?     – Print.

And just because:

1. What is your favorite word?    -  Penchant and hence (my students crack up when I say “hence it follows that ….”)
2. What is your least favorite word?    – The F word.
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    – Great music. For me this is anything from Mi Caro Bambino to Meatloaf to the sound track from highly underrated Broadway musical Martin Guerre.
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    – Quitters and the whole concept that you can get ‘burned out.’ It’s absolutely true that winners never quit and quitters never win.
5. What sound or noise do you love?    – Harp strings and the hammered dulcimer. Steel drums. My kids laughing. Birds in the early, early morning around 4:30.
6. What sound or noise do you hate?    – My kids fighting in the car.
7. What is your favorite curse word?    – I love it when my heroes say “Lucifer’s Balls!”
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?    – Television News Anchor!
9. What profession would you not like to do?    -  Anything in health care. Yuck.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?    – “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That would be the best review ever.

DC: Thank you so much, Bronwyn, for spending the day with us!

We back with another great Duck Chat!

We’re continuing Harlequin Historical month Terri Brisbin!

Terri and her family live in southern New Jersey, where she weaves her wonderful stories for us.  She also writes for Kensington Brava as well as Harlequin Historicals and has had 18 books published since 1995.

Writing both historical and paranormal, Terri has two series and a trilogy, the MacLeries, the Dumonts, and MacKendimens, and her fans love them all; Possessed by the Highlander, The King’s Mistress, and Once Forbidden are just a few of the titles from these series. The Queen’s Man, The Duchess’s Next Husband, and The Maid of Lorne are her stand-alones. Take time to read any of Terri’s books. They are well worth it.

Terri has graciously donated two sets of her Highland trilogy, A Love Through Time, Once Forbidden, and A Matter of Time for a giveaway, so be sure to leave a meaningful comment to be thrown in the hat for your chance to win! Now let’s chat with Terri!

DUCK CHAT: Wow, Terri, you have a busy schedule for releases this year. Was that the plan or did it just end up happening that way?

TERRI BRISBIN: Well, once I sold to a second publisher and began to organize my contracted books, I scheduled to alternate between Harlequin and Kensington. So, it means two books about every ten months, plus a short story or two thrown in for fun! It’s different for me, and busy, and I’m hoping I still have a brain left when I finish.

DC: If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

TB: The one that asks: “so how long does it take to throw one of these little books together?”

DC: In June A Night for Her Pleasure, a Harlequin Undone! ebook, is hitting the shelves. First let’s talk about the Undone line. These are books which are shorter than the normal category romance. Is that more challenging for an author? Or easier?

TB: HH UNDONES! are actually short stories rather than novels or even novellas, about 60 pages long. They are a challenge and I found them more difficult to write than longer books because an author needs to include great characterization and plot and emotions but in a concise, shorter length.

DC: Now tell us about the hero and heroine, Simon and Elise, in A Night for Her Pleasure, please.

TB: Simon is a nobleman who believes he is a big, hulking man and too rough for the feminine, petite woman to whom he’s been betrothed. Determined to make her happy, Simon seeks the advice of his friends, a trio of bastard sons who were raised with him and who never seem to lack the company or attentions of any number of attractive women. Elise knows that only by making Simon happy and content in their marriage can she secure the future of her family and save them from disgrace and ruin. After discovering the truth about Simon’s true desires, she decides she must be the woman he wants. . . in his bed and in his heart.

The whole story happens over the course of their wedding day as they each try to be the exact spouse the other wants and needs and as they approach their first time in their marriage bed together.

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes? Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

TB: Oh gosh, yes! Most of the time, I can clearly see the beginning and the ending of each of my stories, but the middles are vague and unclear until I write the book and begin to know the characters better. Then as I begin to know and understand the characters and their needs and goals and the conflicts that keep them apart, the story takes off where it will and I just run after it, trying to write it all down!

I do argue with my characters, usually in that moment when they first break from my ‘master plan’ and go off on their own. I have to say that they usually win! LOL!

DC: Then in July is the release of your Harlequin Historical, The Conqueror’s Lady. Your website says this is a Knights of Brittany book. Is this a new series you’re starting? And please tell our readers a little about The Conqueror’s Lady.

TB: Yes, The Conqueror’s Lady is the first in my new trilogy which is introduced by the short story in June – all involving the Knights of Brittany, a group of four men raised together, one noble and three bastards and who seek their fortunes and futures in the service of William the Conqueror. In this first full-length book, Giles is the first to gain lands and titles, and a wife, from his king but finds his betrothed wife marrying someone else when he arrives. Let’s just say he is not happy at all.

Excerpt from The Conqueror’s Lady:

‘Finish the words and you will be a widow before you are a wife,’ Giles Fitzhenry, knighted warrior of William the Conqueror, promised in a harsh whisper.
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The blood from the gash above his eye flowed down his face and dripped on the lady’s shoulder, but still he did not relent in his crushing hold. It would take but a moment’s pressure to crush her throat and he swore to himself and then aloud that he would do it if she spoke the words of the vow. Giles turned to face the now-quieting crowd in the small chapel and revealed the dagger he aimed at her ribs, another assurance that the lady would die if anyone tried to intervene.
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His intended moved with him, gripping his hand as though she could stop him. Lady Fayth of Taerford should have thought about the repercussions of her actions before he arrived. Before his men and hers had been killed in the battle for the keep… and for possession of her. Giles nodded to Roger and his man held his sword to the neck of the lady’s comrade in this crime, waiting for her response.
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‘The keep and lands are mine now, lady, as are you. Your choice of words will simply bring his death more slowly or more swiftly.’ Giles watched as the woman in his arms exchanged glances with the man held a few yards away.
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He felt her body relent before she spoke the words of surrender. Trying with all his determination to ignore the soft, womanly curves beneath his arm, he lessened his grip a tiny bit and lowered the dagger to give her the opportunity to make the choice. ‘Do you take him to husband instead of me?’ he asked aloud.
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‘I do not,’ she whispered hoarsely into the deathly silence that had covered the room.
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With her capitulation, his men surrounded her people and began to force them from the chapel. Without letting go, he nodded at his second-in-command and then at the man who she had chosen as husband. ‘Kill him.’
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The priest protested loudly, but his men ignored the old man and prepared to follow Giles’s orders. It was her quiet voice that stopped him.
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‘My lord,’ she began, trying to face him in spite of his grasp. Her movement simply made his blood drip and smear more over her cloak. It wasn’t until he lessened his grip on her that she could speak louder.
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‘I beg you, my lord. He is not to blame. Truly. Mercy, my lord. Mercy.’ She leaned her head back, offering herself as a sacrifice to his anger.
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He would tell himself later that it was his need to put an end to the bloodshed that made him relent. He would tell himself that he had never planned to kill the man cajoled or ensorcelled by his betrothed into this foolhardy plan to interfere with his rights to her and the land. But Giles only knew that at the moment when his gaze met hers he wanted to grant her whatever she asked of him. He let out his breath and nodded.
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‘Take him and his men to the edge of my lands and release them,’ he said in a loud voice. ‘And if, from this time forward, they step back onto my lands or try to contact my wife, kill them without hesitation.’
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After Roger dragged his prisoner from the chapel, Giles released his hold on her. She gasped for breath as he pushed her to another of his men. There was much to do and he needed her out of his way.
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‘Find a place and secure the lady.’
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Reaching up to touch her throat, she turned as though she would speak, but said nothing. His bloody handprint marred her neck and he knew that the armour gauntlets he wore would leave bruises on her fair skin where he’d held her. Any measure of sympathy he began to feel for her was extinguished when he saw that two of his men lay dead in the back of the chapel.
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Giles met her gaze once more and the hatred burning there in her dark green eyes said more than her words would have or could have. Giles smiled grimly at her, accepting the challenge made silently.
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‘Nothing is to happen to her, except by my word or by my hand,’ he called out.
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Aye, my lord,’ his soldier answered as he dragged Fayth from his presence.
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After surveying the chapel and making certain that his dead and wounded were cared for, Giles strode to the keep to see what his new home looked like.
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She smelled the metallic odour of his blood on her and felt its stickiness on her skin where his gauntleted hand had clutched her. It was as though he had marked his possession of her where all could see it. Fayth’s throat burned and her chest ached from his crushing hold. As his men dragged her across the yard, she saw Edmund and his men being chained together. Pulling against her guard, she managed to come to a stop, but she feared the cost of calling out to Edmund. When their captors finished chaining them, they were hauled across the yard and out of the gate.
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Would she ever see him again? Would her new lord and master keep his word and see them released? Fayth fought back tears at the thought of never seeing her childhood friend alive again. At least she’d been able to save his life, but now that everyone who had protected her was gone, she alone was left to face this invasion.
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The clamouring at her side caught her attention and Fayth looked on in horror as her people, the servants and villeins of the keep, were herded into the yard that usually held their horses. Men, women, children. Sir Giles’s men were systematically going building by building and forcing all of her people out to the yard where they were thrown with the others.
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Did he mean to kill them all? They called out to her, fear in their voices and terror in their gazes. What could she do now for she was a prisoner herself?
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When one of the Norman soldiers tossed the cook’s young daughter to the ground, she could no longer stand by silently. With a strength that surprised her, she pushed off the grasp of her guard and ran to young Ardith, knocking the warrior away from her. Helping the girl to her feet and urging her to run, Fayth turned back just as her guard caught up with her and as Ardith’s attacker regained his feet.
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Cursing in Norman French, words too gruff and too fast for her to comprehend, the man grabbed her by the cloak she wore and pulled her to face him. The anger flared in his eyes at being interrupted in what he must have thought was his due as the conqueror. He raised his fisted hand and swung it at her. She tried to lean away to avoid the blow, but his hold was too strong.
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Pain exploded in her head and then there was nothing but darkness.
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He watched the chaos of the yard from the open window in the chamber he claimed as his own. The large room boasted a hearth built into the wall, a privy closet and this window that overlooked the yard and gate. Below him, most of the people of Taerford Keep were collected in an enclosure with a few stragglers being taken there now. His men controlled the gate and the roads leading to it.
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They’d fought their way from Hastings, along the roads past London and out to the west, into Harold’s country. William urged his haste in following a few who escaped the battlefield and ran to organise resistance to the duke’s lawful control of England. Days became almost a week as they faced battle after battle and finally made their way to his promised fief.
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In spite of sending word ahead of his claim and his approach, the lady and those who conspired with her had nearly completed their hasty marriage when Giles managed to take control of the keep. He smiled grimly.
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Now, it was his.
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The building was not very large, but would suit him. It contained three floors with several private chambers and a separate kitchen building. The keep, kitchen, chapel and several other shops were enclosed by the wall. It was not large, but it pleased him and would offer protection until he could replace the wood with stone as William had ordered.
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Pushing the mail coif off his head, Giles looked for something to staunch the bleeding from his wound and found a small linen kerchief on the bed. Pressing it against the deep gash, he walked back to the window to watch his orders being carried out. Unfortunately, things were not going as he had instructed.
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The newest soldier in his company had some young girl in his grasp, his intent obvious even from this distance. Damn him! Giles had made it clear that such attacks were unacceptable, but Stephen had thrown control away during the battle and now the girl was his next target. Running from the chamber and down the stairs, Giles reached the yard in time to see the lady Fayth intervene.
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Before Giles could shout an order, Stephen reached out and grabbed Fayth, lifting her from her feet. Giles called for him to stop, but the noise in the yard prevented anyone from hearing it. As he took off running towards them Stephen hit Fayth with enough force that the lady fell to the ground unconscious. Without stopping, Giles ploughed into the soldier and took him to the ground. Heedless of those watching, he pummelled him until he himself was pulled away.
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‘Andre!’ he called to a guard. ‘Carry the lady to my chambers. Henri, find her servant or a healer and see to her care. And,’ he added, wiping his mouth of the blood that flowed freely once more, ‘do not leave her side.’ He turned to face Stephen, who still lay on the ground at his feet. ‘Your disobedience and lack of control have ever been your weakness,’ he accused. ‘You have been warned about this and you have not heeded my words.’
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Giles ordered him lifted, stripped to the waist and tied to the fence. The yard was eerily silent now as all watched their new lord discipline one of his own. He would rather not have carried this out now, but a prompt response to disobedience by any of his men was necessary, especially in a time of war. He tugged off the gauntlets and accepted the whip from his second-in-command. Giles did not do this lightly, for he’d felt the lash bite his skin, but he’d learned the hard lesson it taught quickly and had rarely faced discipline again.
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Walking to the fence, he looked at those now held in the enclosure and at his men. ‘For disobedience of my standing orders, the punishment is ten lashes. Call them, Thierry.’
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Giles unwrapped the length of leather and flicked it into the air. The tip cracked loudly and many of those around him flinched….

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

TB: Everything and everyone distracts me! Emails, tv, phone calls, whatever, grabs my attention and keeps me from writing, until the last days of my deadline…and then I simply write in an uncontrolled binge of creating until the book is done and in!

DC: How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

TB: Hmmmm. I’m not sure if my characters have evolved, but I do think characterization is one of my writing strengths.

DC: You also have a medieval trilogy coming up, the first book due out in November. The trilogy is being published by Kensington. Would you tell us about the first book, A Storm of Passion, and then give us a sneak peek into the next two books?

TB: I am so excited by this new opportunity! I based this new trilogy on an old Scottish folktale about a poor Highland woman who catches a fairy and demands a gift from it for her sons – something that will make them powerful and wealthy. Unable to refuse, the fae does give them a gift – powers to tell the future, read minds and thoughts and heal with a touch, but the fae also curses them. Each time they use their fae gift, their humanity suffers – the seer is going blind, the truthsayer is losing his hearing, and the healer is losing his emotions and becoming an empty shell. And the only thing that can break the curse is the freely given love of an enemy…!

The first book is about Connor, the Seer, whose words have caused the death of a young woman’s entire family, and Moira who is on a quest for vengeance against him. They discover that only together can they find the truth and only with love can they overcome those set against them.

The second and third books will follow the other two brothers on their journeys and search for answers about their gift, the curse that afflicts them and the women who could save their lives and their souls.

Blurb for A Storm of Passion:

In the first of a breathtaking trilogy set against the stark beauty of medieval Scotland, one man discovers a surprising past, a remarkable gift—and a terrible destiny…
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Once, Connor believed that his ability to see the future would grant him everything. Instead, it landed him in a prison of his own making. Summoned by the Lord of the Isles to serve as his counselor, Connor gains wealth and prestige, but with every vision, his own sight dims. Even so, Connor doesn’t grasp the terrible consequences of his gift until he’s wounded by a young woman who blames him for her family’s massacre.
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Moira curses herself for failing to kill the Seer—especially when she learns her punishment is to be given to him as a slave. Far from the proud, arrogant tyrant she imagined, Connor is a tortured man with a dark sensuality that tempts her night after night. But freeing him from a strange power that is spiraling out of control will mean forsaking her vow and risking her heart for the one man she has sworn to destroy…

DC: Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try?

TB: Well, I’ve played around with a historical fiction series, but don’t know when I’ll have the time to right that!

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

TB: Learn how to be effective without procrastinating!

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

TB: Exactly what I’m doing in my ‘real’ life – I am a dental hygienist and have been for more than 30 years. It’s a wonderful balance for me, the scientific process by day, the creative process by night!

DC: What’s on the horizon for Terri Brisbin?

TB: I’m under contract for five more books and another HH Undone! in the next three years, so I have to do lots and lots of writing! And I’m hoping for a trip to Scotland this fall, for pleasure and research.

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?   – Uh-duh – DARK!
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?   – Smooth
- heels or flats?     -  Flats
- coffee or tea?    – Absolutely tea!
- summer or winter?    – Winter
- mountains or beach?   -  Beach
- mustard or mayonnaise?     -  Mustard
- flowers or candy?     -  Candy
- pockets or purse?    – Purse
- Pepsi or Coke?     – Dr Pepper
- ebook or print?    – Definitely print

And just because it’s fun:

1. What is your favorite word?    -  Inappropriate
2. What is your least favorite word?     -  Fine (as in ‘it’s fine’)
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    – Passion for something
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    -  Indifference
5. What sound or noise do you love?    – A baby’s laughter
6. What sound or noise do you hate?    – A silent keyboard
7. What is your favorite curse word?     – Sh*t!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?    – Attorney
9. What profession would you not like to do?     -  Dentist
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?   – “You were right!”

DC: Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Terri!

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Unlacing of Miss Leigh by Diane Gaston
Historical romance eBook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Apr 09

Not surprisingly, many romance readers cite Beauty And The Beast as their favorite fairy tale. There’s something so magical and compelling about a heroine who has the gumption to open up the guarded heart of a wounded and scarred hero. The romance landscape is practically riddled with such tales and heroes, but romance readers cannot (and dare I say it – will not) tire of the plot. Gaston is counting on it with this short story for the Undone line.

Unlike many younger sons, Captain Graham Veall, didn’t join his king’s army for the money and prestige, he joined it to defeat Napoleon. What he got for his trouble came at the end of a Frenchman’s sword, and Graham now hides behind a mask while lurking about a friend’s hunting lodge. However, he’s desperately lonely….and horny.

Certainly he could just head to the local brothel to scratch his itch, but he does not want only sex, but companionship as well. A woman to spend time with, to talk with, a woman to chase away the loneliness. So in a most business-like manner, he advertises for a mistress and Miss Margaret Leigh responds. The daughter of a vicar, her father is now dead, and Margaret is desperate to pay for her younger brother’s schooling. So she answers the ad, only to discover that the man she’s been corresponding with is Graham Veall, a hero from her childhood, and a man she’s never forgotten.

What follows is Graham and Margaret striking a bargain, spending time together and falling in love. It’s a pleasant story that follows the path of many Beauty And The Beast-type tales. I did have a couple of niggles, mostly revolving around Margaret – who seems positively wanton when one considers her upbringing. Certainly it helps that she “knows” Graham, but she jumps into his bed awfully quick. The author explains this by pushing her heroine’s back up against the wall (no money, brother needs to go to school), but still, for a proper young Regency miss to go from zero to sixty is a little jarring. Also, the plot device the author tosses in at the end to “get” Graham and Margaret to their happily-ever-after, is admittedly not a favorite of mine. It will work for other readers, but I couldn’t help wishing she’d found a different way.

Still, this is a nice pleasant story that I easily and happily devoured on a lazy Sunday afternoon. For Beauty And The Beast story fans, this tasty morsel hits many of the right notes.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Disfigured in battle against Napoleon’s forces, Captain Graham Veall has become a recluse, spending months alone on his estate and appearing masked in public. Yet Graham is determined not to forgo life’s pleasures forever…especially the delight of a woman’s touch.
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He hardly expects virginal Miss Margaret Leigh to respond to his advertisement for female company, thinking he sought a lady’s companion. Still, the impoverished vicar’s daughter is a surprising temptation he can’t ignore. His proposition? That she live with him for two months as his mistress in exchange for supporting her and her brother for the rest of their lives.
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But Margaret has a secret. Graham once saved her life as a child and she has dreamed about him ever since. As he awakens her desire, she longs to soothe his inner wounds—though only two months with her damaged hero may not be enough….
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of A Night Of Wicked Delight by Joanne Rock
Historical romance ebook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Mar 09

Joanne Rock has written several books for both Harlequin Blaze and Harlequin Historical. Now with this story for the Harlequin Historical Undone short story line, she can safely blend her two worlds into one. What could be a fairly conventional medieval captive storyline, A Night of Wicked Delight is punched up by the addition of a forthright, intelligent heroine, and a love scene that just about sets the tapestries ablaze.

Lady Emma of Westleigh is truly in a bind. Her protector and guardian, her cousin Hugh has vanished and she’s now at the mercy of her odious cousin, Edward. Edward has made no secret that he wants to be rid of Emma, and with no dowry, he plans to wed her off to a knight who has a brutal reputation. Emma’s plan? Since this knight only values her virginity, she’s going to do her best to rid herself of her troublesome maidenhead. Then it’s off to the nearest convent.

Gareth of Domingart is determined to have his revenge against Edward – a man who stole his lands and left him physically scarred. To do that, he kidnaps Emma. Emma tells him it’s unlikely that Edward will bloody well care what has happened to her – but sees this as a golden opportunity to achieve her goals. These two both have something the other wants, but the question is – once they help each other, will they be satisfied with only one night together?

While a fairly traditional captive-captor seduction story, this one elevates itself because Rock avoids some common pitfalls. Edward is such a lout – that when Gareth tells Emma what her cousin did to him, she believes him. There’s not a lot of tedious doubt and “Can I trust him/her?”nonsense going on in the story. Certainly Gareth kidnaps her, but his actions towards her early on assure Emma that she’s better off with the scarred warrior than her loathsome cousin.

The declarations of love seem a bit hasty, but given the smokin’ R-rated love scene, it’s easy to see how these two could fall so fast and so hard for each other. Certainly Edward hasn’t been totally dispatched, but the conflict at hand is wrapped up, and one is left with the impression that the wounded warrior, and forthright heroine, will make a nice go of their happily-ever-after.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Gareth of Domingart has abducted Lady Emma of Westleigh to get revenge on her cousin, the man who plundered his home and sold him into slavery. Gareth meant to simply hold Emma for ransom, yet once he brings the fiery noblewoman back to his keep, the urge to possess her becomes overwhelming…especially after Emma makes a startling demand:
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“You must steal my innocence.”
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For Lady Emma has a plan of her own: to lose her virginity and thwart her guardian’s plot to marry her off to a brutish knight. And the scarred warrior holding her captive is just the man to save her…
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But once their revenge is complete, will Gareth and Emma be satisfied with only one night of pleasure…or can they have a future filled with wicked delight?
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No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Pleasured By the English Spy by Bronwyn Scott
Historical romance eBook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Feb 09

Besides being a fan of tasty bite-size morsel reads, another thing I really enjoy about the Harlequin Historical Undone short stories is that it allows authors to explore multiple characters and story arcs within their created universe. I can’t be the only reader alive who has gotten burnt out on series. At some point it happens to all of us. But when the series gets fleshed out using the quicker and faster short story format of the Undone line? It’s hard for me to get burnt out. Especially when the author keeps it lively with steamy love scenes and interesting locales.

Bronwyn Scott’s second Undone short story takes place in Italy, and she really makes it shine in what could have been a run-of-the-mill English spy story. It’s this setting, and the lushness that Scott is able to convey that really stood out for me.

Andrew Truesdale lived in Italy until he was 15, so when his superiors are looking for someone to go to Italy and ferret out information about a potential nationalist revolution, they naturally tap him. His job is to get close to a widowed contessa, Olivia di Montebaldi , and discover what she knows about the plot. Is she the one in charge? Or is she just protecting someone else? Andrew figures this will be an easy task. He assumes Olivia is middle-aged widow, lonely for companionship, and she’ll be more than susceptible to the charms of a dashing Englishman. Then he arrives at the villa to discover his assumptions were way off. Olivia is young, vivacious, beautiful, and knows exactly who he is and why he’s there. Oh, she’s not opposed to an affair with the man, but it’s not like she’s going to willingly cough up her secrets during pillow talk!

The common complaint about short stories is that they’re “too” short, and the reader is often left wanting. Scott does an amiable job with her short word count. I never felt this story was rushed or lacking, and the author ties up all her loose ends to a satisfactory conclusion. Some readers might see the traditional happy ending as a bit of a rush job, but it worked for me because the author does a nice job of showing the passion between Olivia and Andrew.

My one quibble is that I wished there was a bit more dialogue in this story. This is mostly for selfish reasons, since after reading one full-length novel and another Undone story by Scott, I’ve discovered she’s quite talented with dialogue. Her characters have been known to engage is some delightful verbal sparring matches. But this is only a minor, and mostly selfish, “complaint” on my part. All in all, this is a nice story with an interesting and lovingly depicted Italian locale. A perfect afternoon read, preferably with a glass of wine by your side.

Grade: B

Summary:
English spy Andrew Truesdale has been sent to Florence on a mission–to befriend widowed contessa Olivia di Montebaldi and discover if she’s plotting a nationalist revolution in the aftermath of Napoleon’s defeat. Andrew expects the assignment to be easy. After all, his job with the British Diplomatic Corps required him to perfect the art of flirtation and become a consummate seducer of women.

Everything changes, however, when he arrives at Olivia’s villa. Instead of the middle-aged woman he expects, Andrew finds a vivacious young beauty who piques his interest…and his lust.

But while Andrew may be taken aback by the contessa, Olivia knows exactly who Andrew is…and that he is dangerous. She may let him claim her body, but can she trust him with her secrets?

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Rake’s Intimate Encounter by Ann Lethbridge
Historical Regency romance eBook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Jan 09

Ann Lethbridge’s story for Harlequin Historical Undone isn’t likely to change a reader’s mind if they’re already dead set against short stories. Essentially this is a tasty morsel, meant to tease the reader with the author’s upcoming Harlequin Historical release, The Rake’s Inherited Courtesan in April 2009. Normally I dislike being teased and want closure in my romances, but this story accomplishes what it sets out to do. Not only was I swept up into the tale, I’m now positively dying to get my grubby little mitts on that upcoming April book.

Anthony Darby finds himself in a very respectable home, where not-so-respectable things happen, thanks to two friends. He was expecting a night of card playing. He was not expecting the presence of ladies wearing revealing clothing and charming the pants (literally!) off the male clientele. While he’s not opposed to some fun, this wasn’t exactly what he bargained for. Plus he’s hungry. It’s while he’s off in search of food that he meets the most enchanting woman he’s ever laid eyes on.

Margaret was married to a much older Russian count, and when he passed on, she returned home to England. She did her duty, was a dutiful wife, but she knows she missed out on passion when it came to the marriage bed. Since she’s a widow, she figures it might not hurt to have a little fun on her own terms. It’s while she’s trying to gently let down an overeager young man that she meets Anthony and sparks fly.

If readers are looking for a sexy short story to read on their lunch break, or before bed, this one does the trick! While these Undone stories aren’t very long to begin with, the second half of this one is made up entirely of the love scene between Anthony and Margaret. And for the record, it’s hot, sexy and sensual enough to steam up your reading glasses. However, given the word count devoted to this encounter, readers should be prepared that while the story ends with a promise, it doesn’t end with the traditional romantic happily ever after of marriage and pregnancy.

In the author’s note to this story Lethbridge calls this the “beginning of Tony and Margaret’s romance,” so one can assume these characters will be appearing in the April release. And I, for one, cannot wait. If the passion they shared in this story is any indication, they’re likely to set the pages ablaze with a return appearance.

Grade: B

Summary:

Anthony Darby thinks he is ready to give up his life of pleasure—until finds himself at an exclusive club where ladies of the ton indulge their secret desires…and he spies the most alluring woman he’s ever laid eyes on.

Lately widowed, Margaret is determined to savor some of the joys she missed while married to a cold-hearted Russian count. After paying her dues as a dutiful wife, she’s ready to begin living for the moment—starting with a night of passion with Anthony.

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Notorious Lord, Compromised Miss by Annie Burrows
Historical romance eBook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 December 2008

I know many readers who are not fans of short stories. There isn’t enough meat on the bone and they fail to satisfy their hunger for in depth character development, plot and romance. I’m the exact opposite. I love them because they’re bite-size morsels, quick reads, and a cost effective way to discover new authors. So it’s no wonder, given my already slavish devotion to Harlequin Historicals, that I’ve quickly become hooked on the new electronic-only Harlequin Historical Undone line.

Viscount Maldon finds himself in a dire situation thanks to his father and older brother. Because of their gambling, the family estate is near bankruptcy, and Maldon has younger sisters who need dowries. On the advice of his financial man, he finds himself at Almack’s with a list of eligible debutantes with family fortunes. Maldon has to show the ton (and his creditors!) that he’s serious about rescuing the family finances. The problem is Maldon has no desire to marry, and the idea of being a fortune hunter holds zero appeal. This is why Miss Katherine Malahithe literally runs into him in an alcove, hiding behind a potted palm.

Katherine is an heiress with no desire to marry. In an attempt to thwart her matchmaking aunts, she’s taken to appearing as unattractive as humanly possible and it has worked in scaring off several would-be suitors. She was looking for her own hiding place at Almack’s when she runs into Maldon, and these two immediately engage in a war of wits. Maldon is intrigued, has no idea Katherine is an heiress, and despite herself, Katherine cannot stop thinking of him. Can the friendship that blooms between them, grow into something more?

This was a quick read featuring some lively banter between the two leads. Especially charming is how Maldon explains away their lurking behind a potted palm together when one of Katherine’s aunties discovers them. Both of them find the situations they’re in less than enjoyable, and the friendship that springs up between them feels natural and is quite charming.

The writing here is a little abrupt, and I found some of the transitions a little uneven. Writing short stories is a challenging task, and given the nature in this story, Burrows hops around in time on more than one occasion. It’s still an enjoyable read, but not always a smooth one.

That said, I found Notorious Lord, Uncompromising Miss an entertaining way to pass my lunch break. Burrows is primarily known as a UK, Mills & Boon writer, and this nice little short story is a good way for American readers to get to know her without investing a lot of time and money.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Debutante Katherine Malahithe has come to London determined to resist the fortune hunters only interested in her money. Her efforts to appear unattractive successfully ward off most suitors—except for Viscount Maldon, a man who wants to avoid marriage as much as Katherine. The handsome, provoking Viscount becomes an unlikely ally, but can either of them escape the altar when friendship turns to passion…and scandal?

No excerpt found.

I want to thank everyone for stopping by last week for our Spotlight on the new Harlequin Historical Undone line.  As promised, here are our four lucky contest winners.

The grand prize winner of the Harlequin Historical goodie baseket is:

Pam P.!

Our three runner-up winners, who will each receive a coupon code for a free HH Undone story are:

Sandy (Strlady)

MB (Leah)

TarotByArwen

All the winners need to e-mail me by Friday, November 21 to claim their prizes.  Thanks again to Harlequin, and our four guest authors – Michelle Willingham, Nicola Cornick, Amanda McCabe and Bronwyn Scott.  A hearty congratulations to all our winners!

Sandy M’s review of Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss by Bronwyn Scott
Historical Romance published by Harlequin Undone 1 Nov 08

I have a feeling these new Undones by Harlequin are going to be as addictive as the Nocturnes were since I’ve just read my first one.  The Undones are shorter reads, but they’re full of intrigue, fun, and, of course, romance.  I do admire an author that can give the same impact of emotion, that can make me love the characters, and keep me interested with a lot fewer pages than the norm.  It’s not easy and very few can do it well.  I’m happy to say my first Undone scores high all the way around.

Julian is a spy of sorts, one with sticky fingers to return historical/important items to either Britain or their true owner.  His current assignment is a diamond necklace that’s been long lost to the crown and that is also being coveted by an Italian count. Julian is a lover of women and delights in the sensual aspects of his occupation with aristocratic European ladies who don’t hang on and cause a scene when he must move on.  But the night he thinks to get his hands on the necklace is the night he meets Miss Sophie DuPlessy, a woman after his heart and his jewels.  From the moment they meet, not only do sparks fly, but witty banter and repartee are zinging off the pages.

Sophie is beautiful, intelligent, and, on this last job that will finally help free her, she’s in big trouble.  And she doesn’t know it yet.  She tries to concentrate on the job at hand, but memories of Julian keep interfering, and then the man himself keeps her from her goal.  Even when danger is all around them, when they’re together you can feel their mutual respect, their want for each other, and you hope Sophie will see her way clear to give up a little of her independence to rely on Julian to keep them away from the violence suddenly cropping up everywhere around them.

Besides the fun to be had in this book, I also enjoyed the fact that Julian and Sophie worked together to parlay any conflict the story needed, instead of being separated while danger abounds and then finding their way back to one another after all is said and done.  They are a likable and complementary couple.  I also liked Viscount St. Just, Julian’s friend and co-operative and who has some secrets back home in England, and look forward to his story in The Viscount Claims His Bride due out in January.  I think Harlequin has done it again, and we can expect more compelling yet fun books in this new line.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Julian Burke’s reputation as a libertine was famous throughout Vienna. Few people know his debauchery is merely a pleasant way to mask his true mission: to recover jewels stolen from the British monarchy by a French comte. When he spots Sophie DuPlessy at the comte’s party, he thinks the vivacious beauty is just another debutante who can help his charade. But Julian soon learns Sophie is no innocent young miss – she’s a passionate, daring woman who challenges and arouses him like nobody else. A woman playing a dangerous game of her own…

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Shipwrecked and Seduced by Amanda McCabe
Historical romance eBook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Nov 08

One of the things I really love about Harlequin Historicals is that they’re not afraid to publish stories that take place outside of England. For her new story for the Undone line, Amanda McCabe takes readers back to 1535, when Spain was a major player in the New World.

Maria Gonzales was a lowly tavern maid in Spain, so when the opportunity arose for her to accompany Contessa Isabella de Valadez to the New World, she jumped at it. Certainly she’s heard the tall tales, but faced with the unknown or staying in Spain for a life of getting pawed by drunken louts, she figures she’ll take her chances with the savages. Then their ship runs into a storm, with Maria being the only one to survive. Naturally everyone assumes she’s the Contessa, and Maria, wanting a better life and protection, doesn’t dissuade them.

That is until she arrives in Santo Domingo and meets Carlos de Alameda. Carlos works for the governor, and isn’t a man to be trifled with. He has his suspicions about the shipwreck survivor, and he’s determined to uncover her secrets. So how come all he can think about is getting her out of her clothes?

Normally I’m not fond of heroines who spend the majority of the story lying through their teeth, but it’s easy to understand where Maria is coming from. On one hand, being honest gets her a one-way ticket back to scrubbing floors for a living. On the other, she has the chance to be a pampered, spoiled Contessa living in the lap of luxury. Unfortunately she soon finds herself hopelessly in love with Carlos. The question isn’t if her conscience will get the better of her, but when.

Carlos is a smart man, driven to distraction by a beautiful woman. When these two succumb to their passion, it’s enough to set the wall tapestries ablaze! I did think the declarations of love were a bit on the hasty side, but with so much passion between them, I think they’ll make a go of it. Especially if they never stray too far from the bedroom.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Maria Gonzales had hoped for a fresh start in the New World as a contessa’s servant, far away from her old life as a tavern maid in Seville. That hope is shattered when a storm destroys the ship off the coast of Hispaniola. The lone survivor, Maria sees no harm in pretending to be the contessa and enjoying a little luxury for once in her life…especially if it brings her closer to the irresistibly attractive governor’s aid, Carlos de Alameda.

Dedicated to his career and to regaining his family’s honor, Carlos has gone too long without the comforts of a woman. He instantly feels a powerful connection to the beautiful young survivor…and an overwhelming lust. Yet he also harbors suspicions about the contessa. First he will explore her body…then he’ll uncover the truth…