Sandy M’s review of by Dark Embers (Dragon’s Heat, Book 1) by Tessa Adams
Paranormal Erotic Romance published by NAL Trade 6 Jul 10

Well, I’ll get it out in the open first thing. I’ve wanted to read this book because the cover caught my eye. I mean, come on. What healthy female wouldn’t like this cover, for heaven’s sake? I didn’t even bother checking to see what the book was about beforehand. I had the chance to pick it up, so I did, no questions asked. Then I found out it’s dragons.

And then as I got into the story, no doubt about it, this is my kind of book. Total alpha hero, intelligent (throughout the story too!) heroine who stands up to him, different and unique storyline, great secondary characters — and DRAGONS! — I love every word.

Having the King of the Dragonstars thrust upon him after the deaths of his parents and brother, Dylan had done his best to lead his people and keep them safe. But he’s failed. At least in his mind. His sister has also just died of a mysterious illness that has struck his clan, taking so many loved ones away, and he’s determined to find a cure but so far all research as been for naught.

He’s learned of a human scientist who’s been working on a cure for lupus. She’s dedicated and she’s focused, doesn’t stop until she has her answers. So overriding his clan’s concerns about involving humans, Dylan heads for Harvard, where he won’t leave without the woman in tow. He needs her more than his ancient alma mater does.

Phoebe and her research have just gotten the axe at Harvard. No more grants to fund her studies. Now it’s up to her to find another university or corporation who will help, but it’s too late in the year, all moneys have already been earmarked. Then in walks a stranger who at first scares her silly but who then piques her curiosity and her libido.

Dylan makes Phoebe an offer she can’t refuse, and she finds herself in New Mexico, given free rein in a spectacularly equipped lab. But she knows something’s not quite right after running tests on Dylan’s people. She just can’t put her finger on what it is, and Dylan so far has evaded her questions.

Needless to say, Dylan is hesitant to tell Phoebe about him and his inner beast. He’s been hunting for eons for his mate to secure the royal bloodline of his clan, but all female shifters he’s loved and left have not been his destiny. His attraction to Phoebe is immediate and fierce, especially to his dragon, who claws and tears at Dylan to escape to get his hands on the woman.

Phoebe at first is, of course, very doubtful of Dylan’s claims, but when he shifts before her into a beautiful, strong, and lethal predator, she wonders what else otherworldly could be out there. Riding on Dylan’s back through the New Mexico night is an experience she’ll never forget once she returns home.

Geez,I could go on and on because so much happens in this book, and I haven’t even mentioned the love scenes yet. It’s hot. And then some. Very powerful and very explosive between these two. One touch and both of them are lost for the moment until sated. Ms. Adams does a great job of describing Dylan’s dragon as it tries to get to Phoebe. That dragon is the only one who figures out Phoebe is Dylan’s mate. Smart beast.

Of course, there is an enemy clan and once they’re introduced, all hell breaks loose. There’s emotion galore throughout this book, all culminating at the end when things really go wrong and Dylan finally takes matters into his owns hands for him, not his clan.

I’m very anxiously awaiting the next book in this series. All characters I’ve met so far will make fantastic heroes. If you like dragon shifters, go get this book. Now!

Grade: A+

Summary:

King Dylan MacLeod is one of the last pure-bred dragon shapeshifters in existence—and ruler of a dying race, the Dragonstar clan. It falls to him to protect his people—and their ancient magic. He has one more duty: to provide an heir.

Like all dragons, Dylan can only procreate with his destined mate—for whom he’s searched for five hundred years. His dark, rampant sexual appetite has earned him quite the reputation, all in the pursuit of his one true match.

But his search is delayed when a deadly disease sweeps through the Dragonstars, and Dylan must venture to the human world to find a cure. He tracks down renowned biochemist Phoebe Quillum, never imagining the beautiful scientist will be the mate he’s been seeking for centuries. But no sooner do they meet then Phoebe and Dylan are besieged by an obsessive, overpowering sexual desire.

Their passion turns to something truer—and they know in their souls and bodies that they’re in too deep to get out. And when Phoebe is kidnapped by Dylan’s oldest enemy, he must risk everything to reclaim the only woman he’s ever loved, or his clan will be wiped out forever.

Read an excerpt.

C2’s review of One Dance with a Duke (Stud Club Trilogy, Book 1) by Tessa Dare.
Historical romance published by Ballantine 25 May 10

There Lady Amelia D’Orsay was – daydreaming about her plans for summer at her family’s country cottage while listening with half an ear to the latest gossip – when, across a crowded ballroom, she sees him. You may be asking, “Who? Her perfect man? Her dream lover?” Oh no, faithful reader, nothing so lovely and romantic…Lady Amelia spotted the man who can potentially ruin her brother’s life. And she has some things she wants to say to him.
Spencer Dumarque, Duke of Morland, is a member of the Stud Club *snicker* – a group of gentlemen that all own shares of a famous retired race horse. He has not hidden the fact that he wants to own all the shares – and isn’t above unscrupulous behavior to reach that goal.

Spencer hates attending balls. He can force himself to attend briefly, favoring one of the Season’s beauties with a dance at midnight, but then he’s gone. Imagine his surprise when, just as he is about to ask his choice of partner to dance, a young woman appears in front of him and grabs his hand. He has no choice but to dance with her, unless he wants to cause a scandal.

As they begin to waltz, Amelia tells Spencer that she knows her brother owes him a great deal of money and asks him to forgive the debt. He refuses. Not the most auspicious start to a courtship, is it? Still, they must continue dancing and a banter of sorts begins between them. Spencer finds himself unwillingly intrigued by his dance partner. And so does Amelia.

Suddenly, Spencer sweeps her out of the ballroom and into the garden – literally picks her up and carries her out. And not for any sort of romantic entanglement – he just needed to leave the room. Immediately. While they are in the garden, two other members of the club arrive with the news that the club’s founder has been killed – and Spencer is told he is a suspect because he has been so openly in pursuit of the horse. Since the founder, the Marquess of Harcliffe, and his sister grew up near Amelia, she insists on accompanying them to inform Lady Lily of her brother’s death.

Leaving the ball so abruptly with Spencer and spending the rest of the night in the company of men could spell doom for Amelia’s reputation. Spencer, having recently been reminded that life is short, realizes that he is in need of an heir and, therefore, a wife. Also, he has a young ward who will be making her debut into society in a few years and she needs some female guidance. He convinces Amelia to marry him by making her see all the advantages of the situation – she will have her own home, she will receive a monetary settlement that will improve her family’s situation, and she will have children. They marry and head off to one of his country estates.

I enjoy the courtship-after-marriage storyline, I have to say. It seems more real somehow. The couple is sharing a home; they are forced to spend a good bit of time together for the sake of appearances, if nothing else. Feelings can develop easily. The relationship between Spencer and Amelia develops in a lovely fashion. Neither one is interested in falling in love but, as they get to know each other, they just can’t help it.

The mystery of the death of the club’s founder will continue through the rest of the series, I’m guessing. So get in on the ground floor and pick up One Dance with a Duke. It is a lovely, sweet read.

Grade: B+

Summary:
True temptation begins at midnight…

A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members — yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke — until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.

In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?
Scroll down for EXCERPTS (audio and regular).

Other books in this series:

Thank you, Tessa Dare, for such a great time during your Duck Chat with us here at the Pond!

And now the winner of a copy of Tessa’s Goddess of the Hunt. Using that handy-dandy random number generator, our winner is:

Eva S (19)

Congratulations, Eva!  Please send your snail mail address to lighthousetagger (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll forward it on to Tessa to get your book on its way to you!

Limecello’s review of Surrender of a Siren by Tessa Dare
Historic romance releaseded by Ballantine on 25 Aug 09

I’ve enjoyed Tessa Dare’s previous stories, both Goddess of the Hunt, and Legend of the Werestag. Unfortunately, I did not like Surrender of a Siren as much. Initially I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. Although Sophia grew on me in Goddess… that didn’t really translate for me in Siren. A number of factors combined just made me rather indifferent to the book. Then again, everyone kept calling it the “goats on a boat” book… and of course … who could think of anything but “Get these mutha effin’ goats off this mutha effin’ boat!!!” That actually gave it a positive association for the humor- and I did like all the parts with the goats. Anyway, onward!

Sophia Hathaway is a great character in Goddess of the Hunt. She’s smart, spritely – in that she has a puckish sense of humor, is beautiful, perfect, and a good friend. You want to hate her there, but just can’t because she’s so much fun. Maybe Sophia needs female companionship to shine, or something, but being the only woman on the boat with the book taking place with the characters sailing across the ocean…. not so good.

It pains me to say, but I couldn’t help but think “Sophia sucks as a person” near the end of the book. She’s clueless, selfish, spoiled, knows it …and doesn’t particularly feel bad about it. In fact, there’s a part where Sophia reflects on her failings as… well a person, really, and then goes “oh- well but it’s ok because now I’m in love with Gray!” While I can see the logic that she doesn’t have regrets overall, I didn’t like that she brushed off everything. Although Sophia does redeem herself slightly in the end, I was too annoyed with everything she’d done to let it go. I didn’t feel her final act truly excused what she did throughout.

Benedict “Gray” Grayson is a character I had difficulty understanding. I know he’s supposed to be the “good guy” because… well he’s the hero. But to be honest, my first impression of him was someone who was rather smarmy, and this continued throughout the book. There’s a scene where he and Sophia talk about how many women he’s been with, and he honestly has no idea.

Other than being physically attracted to Sophia, I’m not quite sure why he’s drawn to her. (Although he does admire her easy camaraderie with the crew members.) I felt bad for Gray because he does what he thinks is best for his family, and others, but has trouble explaining his actions so those he’s helping aren’t necessarily grateful. I thought it was noble, and rather sweet how sentimental Gray truly is, and the relationship he has with his half brother Joss. Grayson is the golden boy you initially have a hard time liking, but as his character is revealed, he grows on you.

The setting didn’t help my like (dislike) of this book. Ships and transatlantic journeys are not sexy. You can’t bathe for days if not weeks – or longer – it smells, it’s hot, there were goats in the next living quarters… I think the overall tone affected how I felt about it as well. Sophia and Grey didn’t trust each other. Grey and Joss had conflict. There was conflict between the crew and the Grayson brothers. It was draining. Mostly, the fact that Gray and Sophia had such a tenuous connection made it difficult for me to believe in their romance. Sure, they were physically attracted to each other (in basic terms, they were both the most attractive people of their sex on the boat). The crew was supposed to be charming, but other than Davey they didn’t really have much personality. Also, pirates – or privateers, which is what they really were… aren’t appealing. Scurvy? Not sexy. (Yes, I realize I may have over thought things.)

However, the ending really did a lot to change my mind about/redeem the book. While Sophia fleeing was not entirely unique, I did like the reunion scene. And the courtroom scene before that was nice too – Sophia “regained” her self assurance, and “used her powers for good” – which was a pleasant turn of events. The flow of the book, and tone were nice – it’s well written, but I couldn’t get over the slow plot, and my dislike of the characters. While I get the title, I also don’t think it’s  that fitting, and it always felt a little strange for Gray to be calling Sophia “Sweet” and “Siren.”

I did like the descriptions of the ship, and felt that the journey was quite realistic. The day to day life, hailing of other ships, and dealing with natural disasters – lightning, storms, they were exciting, and kept Surrender of a Siren from being like every other sea-faring historical book. The vignettes of Sophia sketching the crew of the ship were also nice. It felt like Sophia was more herself at those times. Otherwise, I didn’t find the whole deception plot, and her flight from England very engaging.

I know I’ll read A Lady of Persuasion because I’m very curious as to what Isabel Grayson’s character is, and how her story will play out… but I’m not sure about Tobias Aldridge, based on the blurb in Siren. I think what didn’t help was the fact that I found the beginning of Surrender of a Siren somewhat slow. I started reading it, but put it down for a while. In a way I enjoyed the interaction between the secondary characters, or the Gray and Sophia’s interaction with the secondary characters more than their interaction with each other. This isn’t my favorite book by Ms. Dare -if you read Goddess of the Hunt it’s an interesting follow up (Lucy has a cameo appearance at the end), and I definitely think you should read it if you plan to read A Lady of Persuasion as well.

Grade: D+

Summary:

Desperate to escape a loveless marriage and society’s constraints, pampered heiress Sophia Hathaway jilts her groom, packs up her paints and sketchbook, and assumes a new identity, posing as a governess to secure passage on the Aphrodite. She wants a life of her own: unsheltered, unconventional, uninhibited. But it’s one thing to sketch all her wildest, most wanton fantasies, and quite another to face the dangerously handsome libertine who would steal both her virtue and her gold.

To any well-bred lady, Benedict “Gray” Grayson is trouble in snug-fitting boots. A conscienceless scoundrel who sails the seas for pleasure and profit, Gray lives for conquest—until Sophia’s perception and artistry stir his heart. Suddenly, he’ll brave sharks, fire, storm, and sea just to keep her at his side. She’s beautiful, refined, and ripe for seduction. Could this counterfeit governess be a rogue’s redemption? Or will the runaway heiress’s secrets destroy their only chance at love?

Read an excerpt here.

Limecello’s review of Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare
Historical romance published by Ballantine Books on 28 July 2009

I heard a lot about Tessa Dare’s debut book, Goddess of the Hunt, and I definitely think that it lives up to the hype. Ms. Dare has a unique, enjoyable writing voice, and the story is well thought out and engaging. Goddess of the Hunt is a unique “friends to lovers” story, and I’m a major sucker for that trope. (Actually it’s almost more like frenemies to lovers…) I’ll probably re-read the book soon, in fact. Now, on to the good stuff.

Lucy Waltham is a tomboy, and not entirely sensible, but eminently practical. The opening of the book has Lucy going to Jeremy’s room to practice seduction techniques on a mutual acquaintance (Toby). She’s not so much foolhardy, as reckless and young. However, the way Ms. Dare writes Lucy makes her charming and refreshing, rather than totally clueless or TSTL. I admit that Lucy does some things that made me shake my head, but she’s driven by her emotions, and I found that admirable. Generally I don’t like the clueless hoyden heroine, but Lucy is so much more than that. She’s finding herself (she’s only nineteen), and has such a warm heart. You have to forgive her for her mistakes, especially because she realizes she made them.

I love the emotionally stilted hero. He makes me want to smack him, but I love him anyway. Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall is exactly one such character. He feels so much, but past experiences have taught him, and even forced him to be emotionally void. I love that he has so much trouble expressing himself, but is still more emotionally aware than so many of the other characters. Jeremy simply is – he’s comfortable with himself, and doesn’t try to conform to the expectations or opinions of others. It’s a very attractive quality, as is his need to take care of Lucy. (Even though he bumbles it and does come off as rather overbearing.) Jeremy has a very interesting past, and I enjoyed reading about it and seeing how it contributed to the man he became.

Something I really appreciated was the fact that Ms. Dare’s characters are realistic, and sensible. There wasn’t some great miscommunication which dragged the conflict out to ridiculous proportions, or made it worse that it should have been. Even though, for the vast majority of the book, the characters indeed do not communicate with each other, and generally misunderstand the others intentions and feelings. It truly should have vexed me, but instead I found myself being entertained. The secondary characters are a lot of fun, and I’m glad they’re in the subsequent books as well.

Although I did feel that the final resolution was a bit rushed, what made me believe the romance was how very attuned to Lucy Jeremy was. He saw her for who she was, and knew her before she really knew herself. I found it very believable that Lucy actually thought herself in love with Toby out of habit. Normally I’m annoyed when the heroine is so sure she’s in love with one person, only to find out she isn’t really. Here, Ms. Dare lays out the plot in a meaningful and compelling way.

There has been some talk that Ms. Dare’s writing is reminiscent of Jane Austen’s, and upon further reflection, I think it’s because of her characterizations and settings. (In fact I’ve mentioned it before.) There’s the house party, and well, you have to read it. Of course Goddess of the Hunt also very loosely follows the general story line of Pride and Prejudice, where the spunky nobody heroine Lucy/Elizabeth marries the wealthy, coveted gentleman Darcy/Trescott. (However there’s the major difference of a lot of sexual tension, and much more fun, improper behavior.)

Although this is a minor issue, in a way I’m most impressed that Ms. Dare made me like Sophie, who is the heroine in her next novel, Surrender of a Siren. Sophie is “the other woman” initially in Goddess of the Hunt, and I’m quite loyal to cannon, so I started out disliking her. Sophie seemed too perfect, and then… well a bit strange. (I’m looking forward to reading about her eccentricities.) Sophie’s story has a great twist in Goddess of the Hunt which lays the framework for Surrender of a Siren, as well as A Lady of Persuasion (the third book).

You have to admire and be impressed with an author who manages to subtly, yet decidedly lay the foundation for a trilogy in the first book. It helps they’re all being released back to back, because I don’t think I can wait any longer to get my hands on Ms. Dare’s books. I really enjoyed Goddess of the Hunt, and recommend it to fans of the genre, as well as romance in general. There’s something refreshing about Ms. Dare’s writing that I think should be experienced.

Grade: B+

Ever the bold adventuress, Lucy Waltham has decided to go hunting for a husband. But first she needs some target practice. So she turns to her brother’s best friend, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, to hone her seductive wiles on him before setting her sights on another man. But her practice kisses spark a smoldering passion—one that could send all her plans up in smoke.

Jeremy has an influential title, a vast fortune, and a painful past, full of long-buried secrets. He keeps a safe distance from his own emotions, but to distract Lucy from her reckless scheming, he must give his passions free rein. Their sensual battle of wills is as maddening as it is delicious, but the longer he succeeds in managing the headstrong temptress, the closer Jeremy comes to losing control. When scandal breaks, can he bring himself to abandon Lucy to her ruin? Or will he risk his heart, and claim her for his own?

Read an excerpt here.

Thank you for joining us at Duck Chat! Welcome!

Today’s guest is debut author Tessa Dare.

Readers are embracing Tessa’s new trilogy, and the first book, Goddess of the Hunt, release just a couple of days ago. The next two books, Surrender of a Siren and A Lady of Persuasion, will be released over the next two months.If you haven’t gotten your Goddess of the Hunt copies yet, you’d better hurry!

From first putting pen to paper to selling her first book with a three-book deal, Tessa had to suffer through only eleven months. That’s a feat every author out there wishes would happen to them. And the books are coming out back to back. An author’s dream. And Tessa is living it right now, and that’s why we wanted to talk to her.

Tessa was raised in the Midwest and now calls California home with her husband and their two children. She is an former part-time librarian, and this from her website sums a happy life up for me as it apparently does for her: “Tessa enjoys a good book, a good laugh, a good long walk in the woods, a good movie, a good meal, a glass of good wine, and the company of good people.”

Be sure to leave a meaningful comment or question, Tessa is giving away a copy of Goddess of the Hunt. Now let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Tessa, there’s a lot of buzz about your new trilogy out there in romanceland. Fans who have patiently but eagerly awaited have been rewarded with the release of the first book, Goddess of the Hunt just a couple of days ago. Congratulations! Let’s talk about the series overall first. Where did the idea for it come from? With the second and third books due to be released shortly, did the series evolve as you first envisioned it?

TESSA DARE: Sandy, thanks so much for inviting me! I am a big TGTBTU fan, so this is a real thrill.

When I began working on Goddess of the Hunt, I had no idea of making it into a trilogy. I’d say my first inkling of sequel potential came while I was writing a scene between Lucy (the heroine of GOTH) and Sophia (the “other woman”, as it were). I’d originally planned for Sophia to be a demure, perfect, boring debutante, but as I was writing that scene she suddenly declared herself to be anything but! Beneath that perfect exterior, she had flaws and desires and boundless imagination. I loved her so much, I just knew I wanted to write her a book of her own. And writing that second book for Sophia meant I needed to write a third book for Toby—for reasons that will be obvious to anyone who’s read the ending of GOTH.

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?

TD: As I just described above, Sophia definitely surprised me. I was also surprised when a couple of ancillary characters from the first two books demanded an unlikely secondary romance in the third book, A Lady of Persuasion. But I’ll leave it at that, so as not to give spoilers.

DC: Would you briefly tell us about Goddess of the Hunt, where we meet Jeremy and Lucy?

TD: Goddess of the Hunt is one of those stories where the heroine’s been in love with her brother’s charming, handsome friend ever since she was a girl. She’s absolutely certain that they belong together, forever and ever. But in the case of this particular heroine, Lucy Waltham, she’s dead wrong. The object of her infatuation is poised to marry another woman. Lucy plots to thwart the engagement, and the task of thwarting Lucy falls to the brooding, reserved Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall. To keep Lucy from ruining his friend’s engagement and her own reputation, Jeremy must give his passions free rein. The proverbial sparks fly. Heated arguments become steamy interludes. Scandal and a hasty marriage ensue, and…and you really don’t want to know everything, do you?

Excerpt from Goddess of the Hunt:

Autumn, 1817

A knock on the door in the dead of night could only mean disaster.

Jeremy pulled a pair of worn breeches on under his nightshirt and stumbled toward the bedchamber door. A fire? He didn’t smell smoke. Perhaps a Waltham family emergency? An urgent message from his steward, maybe—unrest at Corbinsdale would not come as a surprise.

A memory assailed him, unbidden. Unnerving. His heart thudded wildly in his chest. He paused, clutching the door handle, cursing his body for recalling so quickly what he’d worked long years to forget.

Logic caught up to his racing pulse, reining it in. The dim glow of banked coals cast ominous shadows, but Jeremy forced the room into focus. This was not that night. He was in his usual bedchamber at Waltham Manor, not wandering Corbinsdale Woods. More than twenty years had passed, and he was no longer a boy. Whatever surprise awaited him on the other side of the door, he was fully equipped to face it.

When he slid back the rusted bolt and wrenched open the door, Jeremy was prepared for the worst.

“Hold still,” came the whispered command.

He had an instant to register a feminine silhouette, a tangle of dark curls, and two hands grasping his shoulders. Then Lucy Waltham, the younger sister of his oldest friend, popped up on her toes and pressed her lips to his with such force, he stumbled against the doorjamb.

Good Lord. The girl was kissing him.

Well, he thought ironically, he’d been prepared for the worst. And of the many kisses Jeremy Trescott had experienced in his nine-and-twenty years, this was, undoubtedly, the worst.

Lucy kissed with her lips perfectly puckered and her eyes open wide. And if she lacked in finesse, she compensated with bold enthusiasm. Her hands were everywhere at once—tangling in his hair, skimming his shoulders, exploring the broad expanse of his chest.

This wasn’t a kiss. It was a siege.

Furthermore, it was incomprehensible, wholly illogical, and a dozen different shades of wrong.

Somehow Jeremy’s hands found their way to her elbows, and he wrested himself from her eager embrace. “Lucy! What the devil do you think you’re doing?”

“Shhhh.” Her eyes darted to either side, scanning the darkened corridor. Then her gaze tilted back up to his, narrowing with a disturbing intensity, and Jeremy fancied briefly—absurdly—that someone had painted a target on his face.

“I’m practicing,” she whispered, her fingers tightening over his arms. “Let me try one more time.”

She swooped up for another kiss, and he instinctively ducked, pulling her into the room and shutting the door behind them. In a more rational moment, it might have occurred to him that the impropriety of kissing his host’s sister in the corridor would only be compounded by yanking her into his bedchamber. But Jeremy’s faculties of reason had temporarily vacated Waltham Manor.

Lucy had, quite literally, kissed him witless.

“Did it work, then?”

He stared at her, mute with confusion. Did what work? At the moment, it seemed that nothing worked, least of all his brain. Shock had frozen his limbs. He certainly couldn’t force an answer from his lips.

Stepping back, she crossed her arms over her crimson velvet dressing gown and surveyed his form boldly. As her gaze traveled downward, Jeremy grew uncomfortably aware of his own dishabille, from nightshirt to worn breeches to bare feet.

A satisfied smile spread across her face. “It must have worked. You did pull me into your bedchamber.” She reached for the door handle. “Very well, Jemmy. I suppose that’s enough practice. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

She cracked open the door. Jeremy put out a hand and slammed it shut.

Shooting him a glare, she grasped the handle with both hands and tugged. “I beg your pardon. I’ll be on my way, then.”

“No, you won’t.” He leaned his weight on the door, effectively bolting it closed. Lucy might be used to flouting her brother’s half-hearted attempts at guardianship, but Jeremy had four inches and two stone on Henry Waltham, not to mention an iron will. Lucy did not walk all over him.

He mustered his most autocratic, Earl-of-Kendall tone. “You are not going anywhere. You’re going to sit down and explain yourself.” She opened her mouth to object. He grabbed her by the elbow and steered her toward the chair. “But first,” he said, “I am going to have a drink.”

She stopped struggling under his grip and dropped gracelessly into the chair. “A drink,” she repeated. “Why didn’t I think of that? A drink would be just the thing, thank you.”

Shaking his head, Jeremy strode to the bar and poured a single glass of whiskey. He downed half the liquor in one greedy swallow, closing his eyes to savor the burn spreading down his throat. When he opened them again, he looked around to assure himself this was, indeed, the same Waltham Manor he’d been visiting each autumn since Cambridge. Roughhewn beams scored the sloping ceiling. Muted tapestries covered the walls, and an unfussy, timeworn carpet obliged his bare feet. The room had not altered in the past eight years, anymore than it likely had in the past one hundred.

In décor, in landscape, in the quartet of old friends enjoying their annual sporting holiday—Waltham Manor had remained a welcome constant in Jeremy’s life. Until this year, when everything had changed.

“Why couldn’t everything just go on as it was?” Lucy stirred the fire with a poker, sending swirls of agitated sparks into the air. “Why did Felix have to go and get married? He’s ruined everything.”

Jeremy drowned his reply with a sip of his drink. He would not have admitted it, but he rather agreed.

“It was all right when Henry got married,” she continued. “Marianne’s so busy with the children, at least she stays out of the way. But that shrew Felix married is going to expect to be entertained. And to make it all worse, she’s brought along her sister, that Sophia.”

“Mrs. Crowley-Cumberbatch and Miss Hathaway are, by all accounts, charming young ladies. One would think you’d be glad of their company.”

She threw him an incredulous look.

“Or not.” Truth be told, Jeremy wasn’t glad of their presence, either. There was nothing precisely offensive about Felix’s wife, Kitty, or her sister, Sophia. To the contrary, Sophia Hathaway was the epitome of an inoffensive, well-bred society beauty. A bit of meringue—insubstantial, but pleasing enough, if one’s tastes ran to sweet. As Toby’s apparently did.

Jeremy tossed back another swallow of whiskey and tasted the irony. Henry and Felix married, Toby on the verge … their bachelor’s retreat had become a family house party. Well, if all his friends were determined to shackle themselves in marriage, at least he would be in no imminent danger of joining them. All three ladies at Waltham Manor were safely accounted for.

The sound of fingers drumming wood interrupted his thoughts. “Do you intend to drink the whole bottle yourself?”

Unless, of course, one counted Lucy.

And he did not count Lucy. She was neither eligible, nor a lady. She was Henry’s much younger sister and ward, and she was Jeremy’s personal version of a biblical plague. She’d spent years devising ways to get under his skin. Now she was charging into his bedchamber and … and practicing.

Much as he wished to erase that kiss from his memory, he couldn’t ignore it. Neither could he ignore the obvious implications of that word, “practicing.”

He could, however, ignore her request for a drink. Jeremy refilled his own glass and carried it toward the hearth, dropping into the chair opposite hers. Raking a hand through his hair, he exhaled slowly. “I don’t like to ask this. I dread your response. But for what, exactly, are you practicing?”

“Not ‘what,’” she answered. “Who.”

Oh, it only got worse. “For whom are you practicing, then? Some local youth? The vicar’s boy?”

“For Toby, of course.”

He gave a wry laugh. “For Toby? Why would you be kissing Toby? He’s all but engaged to Miss Hathaway.”

She hugged her knees to her chest, curling into a ball of red velvet and chestnut curls. The chair’s masculine proportions dwarfed her, and her green eyes brimmed with raw, undisguised hurt. “Then it’s true.”

Bloody hell. Suddenly this bizarre nighttime visit made sense. Jeremy punched the arm of his chair. Of all the irretrievably stupid things to say.

“My maid said she heard it from Toby’s valet. I didn’t want to believe her. I couldn’t believe her. But it’s true.”

Jeremy had to look away. It was a matter of self-preservation. Lucy’s countenance was a collection of pixie features set within a heart-shaped face—a face designed to display, unfiltered, every emotion of the heart within. One couldn’t look at her without knowing exactly how she was feeling—and Jeremy didn’t wish to know how Lucy was feeling. He preferred to keep a respectful distance from even his own emotions.

“How could he?” she squeaked.

Jeremy winced. Lucy sniffed loudly, and he took another slow sip of whiskey. She could not cry, he wanted to remind her. That was the rule—Henry’s single exercise in authority. He’d allowed the chit to run roughshod over them every autumn, tagging along on their hunting and fishing excursions, parroting their curses, even taking nips off their flasks—under one condition. Lucy was not to cry. In eight years, Jeremy had never seen her shed a single tear. He prayed she wasn’t about to start now. If there was one thing he couldn’t abide, it was a crying woman.

He stole a glance at her. Damn it, her chin was quivering. “You’re not going to start weeping, are you?”

“No.” Her voice quivered, too.

Jeremy busied himself adding wood to the fire, stalling for time.

Curse Toby. This was all his fault. He’d always made such a pet of the girl. Every autumn, Lucy clung to Toby like a tick on a hound. He baited her hooks and taught her bawdy Latin conjugations. He brought her flowers and wove her crowns of ivy that went straight to her head. His Diana, Toby called her. Goddess of the hunt.

Goddess he may have dubbed her, but the worship was all on Lucy’s side. A young girl’s harmless infatuation—that was all it had seemed. Obviously, to Lucy it had seemed much more. And now the task of disabusing her of all those romantic notions had somehow fallen to Jeremy. Just his luck. But also fitting, he supposed. If he’d ever harbored a romantic notion, which was doubtful, he’d been disabused of it long ago.

He clapped the dust from his hands and reclined in his chair. In his most magnanimous tone, he began, “Now, Lucy, you must understand…”

She shot him a murderous glare. At least it wasn’t that mournful expression she’d worn just moments ago. “Don’t, Jemmy. Don’t you dare speak to me as if I were a child. I ought to have come out two seasons ago. If only Marianne weren’t perpetually confined. Perhaps I am not a genteel lady like Sophia Hathaway. But I’m not a girl any longer, either.”

She stretched a bare foot toward the fire and absently flexed her ankle. The sinuous grace of the motion caught Jeremy’s gaze. Caught it, and trapped it. He couldn’t look away. She circled her foot idly, her skin glowing golden in the firelight. His eyes swept upwards, tracing the sweet curve of her calf to where it disappeared under her dressing gown.

Then Lucy shifted, crossing her legs. Red velvet fell like a theater curtain, abruptly ending the show. A swift blow of disappointment caught Jeremy in the chest. The sensation drifted downwards, mellowing to the familiar ache of thwarted desire. God, this night was simply rife with surprises.

“I suppose you’re not,” he muttered, tearing his gaze away and giving himself a mental shake. “Very well, let us speak as adults. You can begin by dropping that childish nickname and addressing me in a proper fashion.”

“You mean by your title? I don’t even remember your old one, let alone the new.” She looked up at the ceiling. “You can’t possibly expect me to call you ‘my lord,’ Jemmy.”

Jeremy sighed, abandoning any effort to soothe. “Then let us be perfectly plain. Toby is going to marry Miss Hathaway.”

“But he can’t! It isn’t fair!”

He snorted. “Spoken like a girl, Lucy.”

She ignored him. “I’ve always known I would marry Sir Toby Aldridge, ever since the day we first met.”

“That’s absurd. The day you first met, you were twelve years old.”

“Eleven.”

“Eleven, then. And Toby shot at you.”

“He didn’t shoot at me. He shot at a partridge I startled. He didn’t know I was there, because –”

“Because you were following us after Henry forbade you,” Jeremy finished impatiently. “Yes, yes. I remember it clearly.”

Too clearly, he added in silence. He remembered everything about that day in painful detail. The glaring afternoon sun, the acrid odor of gunpowder. But he especially remembered the sounds. How could he forget? A frantic staccato of wingbeats, the crack of Toby’s gun, a piercing shriek. The dreadful silence as all four of them charged through knee-deep brambles, only to find Lucy sitting in a clearing, unharmed and unrepentant.

Ensuing years had proven that near-miss to be the beginning of a pattern. Lucy Waltham was always flirting with disaster, and therefore Jeremy had always avoided Lucy. He didn’t want to be in the vicinity when disaster inevitably struck.

With a sniff, Lucy reached out and took the glass of whiskey from his hand. Her fingertips grazed his wrist. So much for safe distances.

She rested her chin on one knee and stared morosely into the amber-brown liquid. “What does Sophia Hathaway have that I haven’t?”

“Besides impeccable breeding, accomplishment, and a dowry of twenty-thousand pounds?” He extended his hand to retrieve his drink.

She downed a generous swallow of whiskey before relinquishing the glass. “She doesn’t love him.”

“More girlish fancies. This is marriage, Lucy. Love is hardly required. They get on well enough, and their families will approve. She has wealth but no title; he is a baronet. It’s a fortuitous match for them both.”

“Fortuitous?” She narrowed her eyes. “Only you, Jemmy. Only you would speak of marriage as a prudent business arrangement.”

“It isn’t only me. It’s society. Love matches like your brother’s—they are the exception, not the rule. Ladies who insist on romance end up disappointed. You’d realize the truth of this, if only you –”

“If only I what? If I only I were cold and jaded, like you?”

Jeremy clenched his jaw. “If only you had paid the slightest attention to any of those governesses Henry hired for you. If only you’d had some model of female behavior, aside from an overburdened sister-in-law and a senile aunt. If only you had a modicum of sense.”

“If only I were like Sophia Hathaway.”

“You said it. Not me.”

She crossed her arms. “Well, I don’t care what you—or society—say. I’m going to marry for love, and that means I won’t marry anyone but Toby. I refuse to believe he could marry anyone other than me. He loves me. I know it, even if he doesn’t yet.”

“Lucy, the matter is all but settled. I expect he will propose any day.”

“Then I shall have to act tonight.” She rose from the chair and began pacing the floor. Her brow was furrowed, and she toyed absently with a lock of her hair, catching it between her teeth. It was a warning sign he’d learned to heed. Lucy always fidgeted with her hair when she was scheming.

She usually wore her hair up—for convenience, not fashion. But they hadn’t yet invented the hairpin or bonnet that could contain Lucy’s curls. They were forever working loose at the edges and winding between her fingers, finding their way to her lips. Now her hair fell in heavy waves down to her waist, rippling like a thick, luxurious pelt as she prowled the carpet’s knotted fringe. She turned and swept back across the room, fluid fabric wrapping around her curves.

Curves. Great God. When had Lucy grown curves? Lucy was always a collection of bony, awkward angles, held together by sheer force of will. Now that hard frame of determination was cloaked in soft, supple, womanly curves. And she and her curves were parading about his bedchamber in a state of undress. At the ungodly hour of—he stole a glance at the clock on the mantel—two o’clock. The impropriety of the entire situation struck him with sudden force.

“You shouldn’t be here. It’s late, and you’re … upset. Go back to your room and get some sleep. We can speak more on this tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow may be too late,” she said. “I can’t take that risk. I’ll have to do it tonight.”

“You’ll have to do what tonight?”

“Seduce him, of course.”

Jeremy stared at her, dumbstruck. A log settled in the fire with a loud crack, and a flurry of red sparks shot out from the hearth.

Lucy stopped before the mirror. She untied her dressing gown and opened it, surveying the simple linen nightgown beneath with a dissatisfied expression. “Silk and lace would be better, I suppose, but I haven’t anything finer.” She made a quarter turn and looked askance at her reflected profile. Thrusting her shoulders back, she smoothed her nightgown tight against her torso until every swell and peak of her flesh strained against the sheer fabric.

Jeremy leapt to his feet, upending what remained of his whiskey onto the carpet. In a matter of two paces, he crossed the room and stepped between Lucy and her scandalous reflection, grabbing the edges of her dressing gown and wrapping them firmly about her waist. The third button of her nightgown was undone, and the thin fabric gaped to reveal a crescent of golden skin. Jeremy forced his gaze up to her face. “Don’t tell me that … that this is what you’re practicing.”

She nodded. The cool intensity in her gaze told Jeremy that, ridiculous as the idea might seem to him, Lucy thought seduction an entirely sensible plan. He put his hands on her shoulders and willed authority into his voice. “Lucy, Toby does not love you.”

“Yes, Jemmy, he does.”

“What makes you so sure? Has he given you any reason to hope?”

“I wasn’t aware that hope required a reason, any more than love. In case you have forgotten—I have no talent for hoping. I don’t hope. I know. I believe. I expect. I know that Toby loves me. I believe we belong together.” She jabbed a finger into the center of his chest. “And I expect you to understand.”

Jeremy groaned. How was he supposed to reason with a girl—a woman, he corrected—who put no stock in reasons? “Lucy, Toby is quite fond of you.” He realized he was still holding her by the shoulders. Retreating a step, he let his hands drop to his sides. “But fondness isn’t love. Besides, what would you know of seduction?”

“Oh, I have a book.”

“A book?” He pulled a hand through his hair. “Good Lord, Lucy, I am not going to ask you where you obtained such a book or what pearls of wisdom it might contain.” She opened her mouth to interject, and he silenced her with an outstretched hand. “In fact, I beg you not to tell me. Suffice it to say, I hope you will not heed the lessons of whatever lurid novel you’ve managed to get your hands on.”

“I’ll admit book learning has its limitations.” She regarded him cagily, her gaze searching his.

“That’s one way of putting it.”

She inched closer. “Reading is certainly no substitute for practical experience.” She drew nearer still.

“But … wait … Lucy, you can’t possibly–” And then he blurted out a question directed more at God in heaven than at Lucy herself. “Why me?”

“You mean besides the fact that there’s no one else? You’re so proper, Jemmy, so cold. There are icebergs in the North Sea with less frost on them. If I can thaw you out, I’ll have no problem seducing Toby.”

“I assure you, you could not ‘thaw’ me, even if I wished to be … thawed. Which I don’t.” He retreated a step. Then two.

“Try to resist, by all means. I like a good challenge.” She closed the distance again, her eyes lit with mischief. “I’ve learned to snare grouse and angle for trout. Is catching a husband really so different?”

Yes, Jeremy meant to insist, but somehow his jaw would only move up and down noiselessly, in a rather good imitation of—well, of a trout.

And then she caught him by his shirt and reeled him in, catching him up in that net of chestnut curls and kissing him within an inch of his life. Her lips attacked his with the same steely determination. But when she threw her arms around his neck and fell against him, the rest of her was soft, pliant, yielding. Silky strands of her hair slid over his forearm. Lush curves molded against his chest.

Before he could gather his wits to protest, she pulled away suddenly and studied his face.

“Well? Is it working?”

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

TD: I had a big argument with Toby, my third hero. He was exceedingly irritated that, unlike the first two heroes, he didn’t get to punch or shoot anyone in his book. I insisted that he just wasn’t that kind of hero—he’s so clever and charming, he’d never need to resort to brute violence. Well, we had words about it, Toby and I. I actually wrote the “argument” out as a dialog and sent it to my critique partners. Unsurprisingly, they sided with Toby. He is very persuasive. In the end, we arrived at a compromise.

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

TD: You know, at this point in my career, every question is new and exciting. Ask me again in a year or two…

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

TD: My children (ages almost-3 and 5). I love them, but they need a lot of attention! And the Internet, of course – between blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and email, it’s a wonder I get anything written some days.

DC: May we get a sneak peek into the next two books, Surrender of a Siren and A Lady of Persuasion?

TD: It’s really hard to tell you too much about those books without giving spoilers for the first one. Of course, there are blurbs and excerpts available on my website. Surrender of a Siren pairs a society beauty falling from grace with a roguish privateer who picked the wrong week to go respectable. In A Lady of Persuasion, an idealistic young lady sets out to marry an influential lord, to bring about political and social change—but she finds herself accidentally betrothed to a rakish, disreputable “Sir” instead.

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

TD: I’ve always been fond of Young Adult fiction. I can see myself attempting YA someday.

DC: The Legend of the Werestag, I get the feeling from roaming around your web site that this book is not quite what the title implies. Would you tell us a little about it?

TD: It’s not a paranormal romance! TLOTW (an e-novella released by Samhain Publishing in May, and recipient of two quite favorable reviews at this here site, I might add) is a straight historical, loosely linked to my trilogy. You see, in GOTH and its two sequels, each heroine passes along a “naughty book” to the next, called The Memoirs of a Wanton Dairymaid. It’s a bawdy little romance that provides inspiration and education to each of the heroines in turn. My e-novella, while telling its own sweet, sexy romance between reunited lovers, explains the origins of that Wanton Dairymaid book—and how it was almost a very different book entirely: a gothic novel called The Legend of the Werestag. For the first wave of readers, the novella has been a sort of teaser for the trilogy, but it’s also meant as an “extra” for readers who’ve enjoyed the print books and want something more.

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

TD: Travel more!

DC: You’re now working on a new trilogy titled Stud Club. Would you give us a look at the series as a whole and then give our readers a sneak peek into the first book, One Dance with a Duke?

TD: Sure! The Stud Club trilogy stars three heroes from very different backgrounds—a duke, a warrior, and a scoundrel. Through quirks of fate and fortune, they all own shares in a priceless racehorse (the “stud” in question). When the Stud Club’s founder is tragically killed, the three become unwilling allies in the pursuit of justice. Along the way, they each fall desperately in love.

In One Dance with a Duke, Spencer, the reclusive Duke of Morland, finds himself confronted in a ballroom by Lady Amelia d’Orsay, an impertinent spinster whose spacegrace brother owes him money. Spencer has little sympathy for her complaints and zero tolerance for public scenes. When the tenacious Lady Amelia refuses to back down, he literally sweeps the impossible woman off her feet and carries her off the dance floor, straight out into the night.

Amelia is stunned, outraged, and perversely exhilarated. Even after that dramatic exit, her reputation might have been salvaged…had they not been met on the terrace by two men bearing news of a tragic death. Spencer and Amelia must leave the ball in stealth, instantly linking their names and futures in scandal. Within days, Amelia finds herself marrying this arrogant, aloof, and inconveniently attractive duke who, if rumor can be believed, might also be a murderer.

DC: What would be your “voice’s” tagline?

TD: Maybe “Fresh and flirty.” Or “Sparkling and sexy”? I can never decide!

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

TD: Probably still working as a librarian (my former full-time career) and mother.

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate? – Yes.
- smooth or chunky peanut butter? – Chunky.
- heels or flats? – Islander flip-flops for everyday, heels for special occasions.
- coffee or tea? – Coffee
- summer or winter? – Autumn
- mountains or beach? – Beach—preferably a rocky one.
- mustard or mayonnaise? – Mustard
- flowers or candy? – Candy
- pockets or purse? – Pockets
- Pepsi or Coke? – Dr. Pepper
- ebook or print? – I’m a fan of both, but I’ll admit I still have a sentimental preference for print.

And because they’re still a lot of fun:

1. What is your favorite word? – I refuse to choose! I’m a writer; it’s impossible.
2. What is your least favorite word? – In a love scene, “juices.”
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? – Music—especially alt-rock power ballads, for whatever reason.
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? – Negativity. Uncertainty.
5. What sound or noise do you love? – The ocean, or light rain.
6. What sound or noise do you hate? – Children squabbling.
7. What is your favorite curse word? – Drat.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? – Professional scholar of something medieval and esoteric. Preferably something I’d have to study in Italy.
9. What profession would you not like to do? – Scuba diver or astronaut. I have a phobia of limited oxygen supplies.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? – “Good job! Loved the books. You’re just in time for gelato.”

DC: Thank you, Tessa, for a great interview!

C2’s review of The Legend of the Werestag by Tessa Dare
Historical Paranormal Romance novella published by Samhain 12 May 09

What happens when you combine a house party, unrequited love, and a mythical creature? Why, you get Tessa Dare’s new novella, The Legend of the Werestag, of course. I had been hearing (reading?) raves about this story all over the interwebs so I knew I had to read it. And I wasn’t disappointed – it totally lived up to the hype.

Our story begins at night in Swinford Woods, where the members of the house party are searching for the local man-beast (recently re-christened the werestag). Miss Cecily Hale catches a glimpse of something in the moonlight and goes off into a section of woods alone. She encounters a stag and then is charged by a wild boar. Before she comes to serious harm, someone rushes out of the darkness to save her, kills the boar and disappears into the mist. But who saves her, the legendary werestag or someone else?

That’s all the story info you’re getting out of me, faithful reader. I will tell you this instead. I loved the author’s voice and am anxiously awaiting her next story. I was impressed by her ability to give the reader such well-rounded characters in such a short number of pages. None of the characters felt flat or shorted in any way – and there are even intriguing hints of characters that might pop up later in future books (the mysterious neighbor who recently inherited an earldom, for example).

If you like tales of unrequited lovers separated by war and then reunited to find that many things have changed, tortured heroes who are trying to be noble and heroines who know what they want and aren’t afraid to say so – this is a story you should try.

Grade: A

Summary:
.
To capture love, sometimes you have to grab it by the horns…
.
If a woman could die of humiliation, Cecily Hale would have perished three hours ago. Luke Trenton had finally returned to Swinford Manor, only to cruelly spurn her long-held love. But she couldn’t conveniently die of shame on the spot—oh, no. Instead she joined her friends on this ridiculous search for a legendary man-beast. Now she’ll die here—alone in the woods, at the tusks of a snarling boar.
.
Luke left for war a dashing youth and returned a man—just not the same man Cecily fell in love with. His passion for her is stronger than ever, but the ravages of battle changed him in ways she wouldn’t understand. Pushing her away was supposed to save her, not throw her into the path of another inhuman creature…or into the arms of another man.
.
For it is a man who rescues Cecily, just as the boar attacks. A mysterious, silent man who disappears into the woods, leaving her with just a glimpse—of a fleeing white deer. Could her rescuer be the man-beast of local lore?
.
A dangerous myth has captured Cecily’s imagination, putting Luke on the horns of a dilemma. Unless he summons the passion and tenderness to win her back, he could lose her forever…to the Werestag.
.
Warning: This is a humorous, passionate historical romance, not a paranormal shifter story. However, it does feature a harrowing encounter with a wild beast, a tortured hero who feels half-human, and the unleashing of animal urges. In other words: explicit sex, mild language. 
.
Read an excerpt. (scroll down)

Limecello’s review of The Legend of the Werestag by Tessa Dare
Historical romance released by Samhain Publishing 12 May 09

I’ve been suffering from a reading slump recently (more on that later), but I heard some buzz about this book. A few people I consider to be discerning readers said they enjoyed it, and after bumping into Tessa Dare on Twitter, I was reminded that I wanted to buy this book. So I hied myself off to My Bookstore and More, and made a purchase that I am very happy with. I have to admit, the title gave me pause. A lot of it. However, everything is in the realm of normalcy, and The Legend of the Werestag is a very well written story.

The heroine, Cecily Hale, is very likable. She’s sensible, yet not, warm, real, and is someone you’d want to be friends with. I like that she’s her own person and has experienced growth, yet still harbors a tendre for Luke. I really like that she’s devious, and has a mind of her own. Cecily is able if not willing to move on with her life, but she’s also willing to fight for what she wants. This seems contradictory, but it isn’t. What Cecily does is reasonable, and shows a level of self assurance that is admirable.

Luke is a deliciously tortured romance hero. Perfect for a historical romance, and I really liked getting in his head. It’s nice that he’s not maudlin, and a little selfish. Luke is flawed, but not hopeless. I also like that he’s honest with himself, and can admit that he didn’t love Cecily four years ago. That fact really adds a lot to Luke’s character, in my opinion. It also makes the story more believable. Luke also has some great one-liners, and you have to give points to any hero for that.

I have two admissions to make. First, that Ms. Dare managed to trick me with her book. I thought that something happened, but reading it, was led to believe the situation had played out differently. Only to find out in the end, that I was initially right, but then had completely written off my original thought. Confused? Good. You can and should buy your own copy and read it, to understand. My second confession, is that Ms. Dare saying a part of why she wrote this was because she wanted to use the phrase “felty thatch” intrigued me. I admit, considering the nature of most twitter conversations, I thought it was something very dirty an wanted to know how on earth Ms. Dare could use that in context, with the book actually being as good as everyone said, and not immediately rocketing the story into the realm of patently ridiculous.

I also want to share that I approached this book with an extremely high level of trepidation. While a quick Google search informs me deer/stags are not even in the same order as horses (you know, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, then species), I was nervous. Werestag implies paranormal shifter, and my friends had recently traumatized me with Mr. Hands. In my mind, there’s a line which paranormal authors should not cross, and that is it. Happily, Ms. Dare does no such thing. In fact, she masterfully addresses the subject of the werestag, and manages to inject just the right amounts of humor and drama.

Ms. Dare’s novel has a nice Gothic feel to it, but at the same time, it’s rather satiric. Like a modernized Northanger Abbey. The tone is lighthearted and engaging, but there’s just enough character angst to give some meat to the story. While it did feel a bit busy and confusing at the start with all the characters, there are only a few of them and easily sorted. I’m wondering if the other characters get their own stories, but I don’t want to jinx myself. (Also, because I think I’ll be biased and always consider Cecily and Luke’s story the best. Other than Denny. Poor Denny does deserve a happy ending.)

The Legend of the Werestag is a really enjoyable and entertaining novella, and definitely worth the $3.50 you pay. I’m so looking forward to Ms. Dare’s upcoming books as well. However, I will say that I didn’t enjoy the story quite as much when I began re-reading it. (Yes, already. I’m a re-reader.) But that’s because I knew the plot twist. The feel of The Legend of the Werestag also reminded me of a murder mystery, which I really liked. I recommend this story to anyone looking for something new, and especially to those who enjoy historical romances. Ms. Dare has an excellent writing style, and it’s something you should experience.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
To capture love, sometimes you have to grab it by the horns…
.
If a woman could die of humiliation, Cecily Hale would have perished three hours ago. Luke Trenton had finally returned to Swinford Manor, only to cruelly spurn her long-held love. But she couldn’t conveniently die of shame on the spot—oh, no. Instead she joined her friends on this ridiculous search for a legendary man-beast. Now she’ll die here—alone in the woods, at the tusks of a snarling boar.
.
Luke left for war a dashing youth and returned a man—just not the same man Cecily fell in love with. His passion for her is stronger than ever, but the ravages of battle changed him in ways she wouldn’t understand. Pushing her away was supposed to save her, not throw her into the path of another inhuman creature…or into the arms of another man.
.
For it is a man who rescues Cecily, just as the boar attacks. A mysterious, silent man who disappears into the woods, leaving her with just a glimpse—of a fleeing white deer. Could her rescuer be the man-beast of local lore?
.
A dangerous myth has captured Cecily’s imagination, putting Luke on the horns of a dilemma. Unless he summons the passion and tenderness to win her back, he could lose her forever…to the Werestag.
.
Warning: This is a humorous, passionate historical romance, not a paranormal shifter story. However, it does feature a harrowing encounter with a wild beast, a tortured hero who feels half-human, and the unleashing of animal urges. In other words: explicit sex, mild language.
.
Read an excerpt (scroll down).