Limecello’s review of Million Dollar Baby Bargain by Tessa Radley
Contemporary romance published by Silhouette Desire on 11 Aug 2009

I really enjoy Tessa Radley’s Silhouette Desire books. Million Dollar Baby Bargain was no exception, but there was something different about it. Not “off” exactly, but the tone felt a little darker, and the title, for Ms. Radley’s book was misleading. (I know that’s common with harlequin categories, but I never noticed it much with Ms. Radley’s stories.) However, in a twisted way, it fit – in fact, the characters mention it as a joke at one point in the book.

Victoria Sutton is an interesting heroine. She’s strong, but not. She’s also career driven, to the point where she’s sacrified relationships. Not just romantic ones, but she seems to have lost touch with friends as well. In a way she’s the more emotionally closed participant in the novel. Nevertheless, I liked Tory. I think she was confused a lot, and felt rather fearful – the dynamics of her relationship with Connor are very interesting.

Connor North is a well developed, but rather confusing hero. He seems like a jerk – cruel, cold, and rather bitter at the beginning, but he opens up more quickly and seems rather warmer. I liked that once Connor is in, he’s all in – there’s no escape plan, and he doesn’t allow for contingencies. He’s determined, and cares. I think knowing about his past helps, and I loved his “clueless guy” moments.

I’ll come out and say it – Victoria and Connor are unknowingly parents of baby Dylan – Suzy and Michael’s baby. Both Suzy and Michael were apparently unable to have children, so both turn to their best friends. But… nobody knew but Suzy and Michael who [all] of Dylan’s parents are.

It’s… well crazy. Especially since for most of the book, Victoria doesn’t tell Connor she’s Dylan’s biological mother, and Connor does the same. However, both feel a strong connection to Dylan, and responsible for him as [Dylan's] parent. It seems like I’ve let the cat out of the bag – but there’s really a lot more to the story. Also it’s so… twisted. Interesting, and… complicated.

How Connor and Victoria deal with the grief of losing their best friends, becoming parents – their relationship, learning to trust each other and move past their issues… it’s good.

Ms. Radley writes excellent stories, and I was engaged the entire time I was reading it. And when I was re-reading it as well. There were a few twists that I wondered about, but I didn’t dwell on them, and there are no glaring contradictions that I recall. I recommend this book to anyone who likes reading Silhouette Desire books, or Ms. Radley’s writing.

Grade: B-

Turned from best man to baby’s guardian in one shocking moment, bad-boy billionaire Connor North intended to stake his claim. If maid-of-honor Victoria Sutton wanted any part in the child’s life, she would have to play by the billionaire’s rules. So Victoria moved into Connor’s mansion. She even agreed to become his wife. And despite her initial disdain for the powerful businessman, she eventually succumbed to his charms. The bond they formed—to the baby and to each other—was an outcome neither had expected. But would a surprising truth destroy all they had finally found?

Read an excerpt here. (Just scroll down to about the middle of the product page.)

Limecello’s review of The Untamed Sheik by Tessa Radley
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire on 14 Apr 09

Finally! We have Megan Saxon’s story, dear readers. I discovered Tessa Radley’s books when I read Pride & A Pregnancy Secret as part of the Diamonds Down Under series. I loved it, which led me to read Ms. Radley’s trilogy, the Saxon Brides, featuring Joshua, Rafaelo, and Heath‘s stories. And now, The Untamed Sheik tells the story of Megan’s romance. This made me very happy. And, I think we know by now that I’m working my way though the Man of the Month books. (Hopefully I’m given the chance to read the rest of them!)

Megan Saxon is a heroine any girl would like to be. First of all, she’s extremely wealthy, good looking, and comes from a loving family. But she does have three overprotective big brothers, so romance wasn’t always on the books as they kept her from having a love life. Upon some reflection, I don’t feel that I really knew who Megan was, however, it helped that she had cameo appearances in all of her brothers’ stories.

Nevertheless, confident, sassy Megan seemed a lot less sure in the desert. Of course, being kidnapped and lied to will do that to a girl. I like how Megan tried to exact her own little revenge on Shafir. Another enjoyable aspect was learning that Megan was genuinely and truly as nice as she seemed. I also liked that Megan was honest with herself, and knew she was going to find romance, not that she was truly traveling for romance – reading the book will explain that better.

Prince Shafir Al Dhahar, desert sheik is quite the title, and quite the hero as well. Shafir definitely goes in having a set idea of Megan, and I have to say I didn’t like the assumption he made. (Or really the fact that he made them.) However, I did like seeing Shafir squirm, whenever Megan did anything to shatter his wrongly formed opinions about her.

I liked how protective Shafir was, and that he was willing to analyze the situation. Although he seemed unbending, Shafir was willing to consider the facts and amend his opinions. I liked that he got needled by his brothers, and how he interacted with his people. It was clear that although he was a bit ham-fisted (and just wrong) in his initial assumptions and treatment of Megan, he’s a really good guy. Shafir t is capable of handling any and every situation, and possibly more importantly, his people respect him.

Accordingly, for the aforementioned reasons, I didn’t really like the way the book started out. I felt that it was a bit too skewed towards Megan being the evil Jezebel, but I suppose it was necessary for the story. That being said, I really liked the way Shafir and his brothers interacted, and indeed even how the brothers interacted with their father the king. It showed a camaraderie between them and mutual respect, which really helped give background and insight to Shafir as a person. I will say, however, that on the flip side, the “evil boyfriend” story fell a bit flat, and I felt that it rather fizzled out.

The descriptions of the desert were very well done, and it was nice that Megan’s story was something so special. I really like how Shafir and Megan were secluded, and essentially stranded – it really helped bring them together in the short period of time they had. That made the rapid fire emotions much more believable, and I liked how Ms. Radley really expanded on that idea. Megan once wryly considered Stockholm syndrome, which I thought was valid. (And it was a bit of fun in the midst of Megan’s tumultuous thoughts.)

However, even though the close proximity made the building relationship more believable, I don’t know that I can see Shafir and Megan becoming so very attached in such a sort period. It really seemed that Megan ignored the fact that she was kidnapped, and that Shafir thought she was a vile seductress. It just seemed that the events were a bit too extreme to be so easily processed and let go by the characters. While the physical attraction can and does work, the depth of the emotional attachment is something I’m less willing to accept.

Still, I very much enjoyed reading Megan’s story, especially the secondary characters. I wonder what the other prince’s stories will be like, if they’re written, and what sort of heroines they’ll come across and be paired with. I also felt that Megan’s concerns about not being royalty were a realistic and helpful addition to the plot. It gave the story a touch of reality and helped ground it. I’m looking forward both to Ms. Radley’s next book, and the next Man of the Month.

Grade: C+

Summary:
.
Mr. April: Prince Shafir Al Dhahar, desert sheik
.
His Creed: Family…first, last, always
.
His Challenge: One obstinate foreign beauty.
.
The wedding would go on. Prince Shafir would not let Megan Saxon steal away his cousin’s groom-to-be. Stopping her by seduction seemed the easiest plan. He’d simply make Megan fall in love with another man—him.
.
But what would happen if the seducer found himself falling for a woman he couldn’t—by royal rights—truly keep?
.
Read an excerpt here. (Ed. note: Ms. Radley also gets a gold star for having an excerpt up on her site.)

Other books in a related series:

Limecello’s review of Pregnancy Proposal (Saxon Brides, Book 3) by Tessa Radley
Contemporary romance published by Silhouette Desire on 9 Dec 08

This is the third and final installment to Tessa Radley’s trilogy The Saxon Brides. I enjoyed all three books very much, and am sad to see it end. Pregnancy Proposal has a few plot twists one wouldn’t expect at the beginning, but fortunately don’t distract from the developing relationship of the hero, Heath, and heroine, Amy.

Pregnancy Proposal is a very cute story that has a great focus on the romance between Amy and Heath.

The heroine Amy Wright appeared in both Mistaken Mistress and Spaniard’s Seduction, but I didn’t have a feel for her personality until this one. She was affianced to Roland Saxon, the oldest Saxon brother who passed away at the beginning of Mistaken Mistress. In a way, I wasn’t sure if I’d like Amy because Roland wasn’t much of a winner, and someone who stayed with a man who constantly cheated on her and was rather smarmy doesn’t inspire confidence in the reader. Amy had a lot of issues to deal with – she convinced herself she had to be prim and proper, but Amy’s starched personality didn’t do a lot for me. I also wasn’t sold on her reasons for being such. Still, she’s friendly and likable – and provided depth to the story. It’s also nice that she begins to discover herself and emerges from her shell, making her a lot more personable and fun.

Heath Saxon is what made the book. I love the misunderstood hero – as long as he doesn’t become maudlin or mopey, which Heath didn’t. Heath also suffered from what seemed to be unrequited love, which also wins him sympathy points, and my affection. I love the heroes that suffer nobly. (Although Heath was by no means a saint, considering the plot.) Heath is a well developed character with a lot of emotional depth – he’s sweet, in that he tries so hard, but is in a difficult position. I like that he was a strong character, without being overbearing. He’s masculine, without any of the ridiculous or annoying posturing.

I’m not sure if it was meant to be more of a secret, but I felt like the book danced around a very obvious point. Maybe people who don’t read the back cover or book blurb may have been more surprised, but it was a bit frustrating to have to read through a lot of speculation and unnecessary drama before the issue was revealed. I know there had to be conflict, but the amount of time Amy spent being uncertain about Heath’s affections were grating. Some of what she thought or believed also was groundless and not entirely believable. She had cast Heath as a villain in her head – but there was no reason for her to do that.

Still, that’s only what bothered me. I really loved the cameo appearances by all the other characters from the previous novels. However, it was nice in that they only helped move things along, rather than distracted from the plot. I also like Megan Saxon, and I hope that she’ll get her own story as well. Another positive about Pregnancy Proposal are the sweet scenes between Amy and Heath. At times they’re so close but some minor detail will tip the balance and make them take a step back. All the little flashbacks were also nice – and helped fill in some holes from the previous two books.

The chemistry between Heath and Amy was unmistakable. I loved reading their relationship throughout the book, watching them become more familiar and safe with one another. The personality and humor that developed was quite enjoyable. All in all I liked this book and found it a nice way to wrap up the Saxon Brides trilogy. I recommend this book to anyone who likes Ms. Radley’s writing, as well as those who enjoy books from the Silhouette Desire Line.

Grade: B-

Read more reviews of all the books in this series by following its tag.

Summary:

Secret Pregnancy

His late brother’s fiancee was pregnant with a Saxon heir. Yet Amy Wright thought she could just leave town? Not even the black sheep of the mighty Saxons would allow that. So Heath Saxon propositioned Amy: avoid illegitimacy for her baby by marrying him. Convincing her wasn’t easy. Until he showed her what a night as his wife would be like.

But Amy has a very big secret about the Saxon baby. About just who the father really is…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Limecello’s review of Spaniard’s Seduction (Saxon Brides, Book 2) by Tessa Radley
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire on 11 Nov 08

This is the second book in the Saxon Brides series. I was very excited to read this book because I loved the first so much. I got my hands on Spaniard’s Seduction and believe I read it all in one sitting. There’s a slight twist at the beginning of the book, which confused me as to who the Saxon character was. However, it is all sorted out and turned out to be quite an enjoyable read.

Caitlyn Ross is an interesting and atypical romance heroine. She’s plain, or rather considers herself to be so. Caitlyn has put herself in the role of “one of the guys” and is generally happy to be there. I did take slight exception to how much weight she put on a traumatic incident in her past, but do understand how it could be scarring. Caitlyn can be contrary and quite shy, but it was fun seeing her come out of her shell and grow into her own.  Some of Caitlyn’s appeal is her utter appearance of normalcy. Her good but regular looks, normal family and upbringing, education and the like. ultimately, Caitlyn is quite loyal and is quite likable, although not exceedingly notable.

Happily, Caitlyn is balanced with Rafaelo Carreras, Marques de Las Carreras. Rafaelo’s fun in that he’s so well, outrageous, really. At first glance, and from all accounts, Rafaelo is your stereotypical overbearing, entitled, spoiled European royalty. At least Rafaelo is in no way the Down Under equivalent of Eurotrash. Ms. Radley does an admirable job of keeping all the focus on Saxon’s Folly. Rafaelo seems shallow and overbearing, with no concern for anyone or anything but himself. However, it quickly becomes clear that Rafaelo is deeply intuitive, compassionate and frankly, likable. Although Rafaelo is very self assured and knows his place in the world, he doesn’t harp on the fact, and is quite personable. Rafaelo is one of the most fun characters I’ve read in a while.

I liked how the book worked with the changes wrought in both Caitlyn and Rafaelo. The two couldn’t possibly be more different, but they fit each other so well, and really do belong together. I have to admit something that really won me over was how quickly Rafaelo became enchanted with and by Caitlyn. It showed depth of character that he saw beneath the surface, and didn’t immediately go for the most flashy woman available. There’s a very sweet side story as well, where Rafaelo gentles a wild stallion. It’s quite touching.

I liked how Ms. Radley wrote a great romance for Rafaelo and Caitlyn, but also utilized the secondary characters of the other Saxons. Each person has a key part, but at no point do the happenings detract from the burgeoning romance between Rafaelo and Caitlyn. They support the plot and keep things interesting, but don’t steal the spotlight. Spaniard’s Seduction stands alone, but also fits in comfortably with Mistaken Mistress. It was also nice that the story had enough, but wasn’t too heavy. No kidnappers or assassins, nothing too crazy, just a well written romance. I will say that nothing about it really pops out at you, but that doesn’t necessarily detract from the book.

One thing I might have liked Ms. Radley to develop or go into would be the potential romantic relationship between Caitlyn and Heath Saxon, but simply alluding to Caitlyn’s crush was enough to draw Rafaelo and Caitlyn closer together. The male posturing is amusing, and I liked how protective Rafaelo is over Caitlyn. I also liked how minor incidents or events would draw in the secondary characters, making sure each person and thing had their part, that was all connected – the events flowed and didn’t feel contrived.

I’m enjoy Ms. Radley’s Saxon Brides Trilogy very much. I am curious, however, about the next book Pregnancy Proposal. I knew from the first book that it would be Heath Saxon and Amy’s story — but that leaves the sole Saxon daughter without a story. (Unless Ms. Radley has yet another spin off planned…) I admit that Spaniard’s Seduction exceeded my expectation based on the book blurb and the characters. I felt that everything occurred naturally and fell together nicely, and that Ms. Radley kept things lively, and believable.

Silhouette Desire may be my favorite category line, so I’m always for more people reading from it. If you like this line, and short series, I can happily recommend this book. It’s sweet, well written, has a nice story. The characters are all likable and interesting, and I have a feeling they’ll be showing up more.

Grade: B

Summary:

The white-hot desire for venganza— revenge—had driven Rafaelo Carreras, Marques de Las Carreras, for years. Now, at last, the ruthless Spanish aristocrat had come to New Zealand, to take what was rightfully his from the wealthy, powerful, hated Saxon family. Seducing Caitlyn Ross, the Saxons’ beautiful young winemaker, was child’s play for a man like him—and the perfect way to get what he wanted. But as he came to know this woman, to taste her beguiling blend of inocencia and pasión, he wondered if he was the one being seduced.…

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Other books in the series:

Limecello’s review of Mistaken Mistress (Saxon Brides, Book 1) by Tessa Radley
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire on 14 Oct 08

I was excited about this book, and am so glad I read it. When I found out Tessa Radley had a new series coming out as an off-shoot of the Blackstones from the Diamond Down Under series, I was thrilled, especially since Ms. Radley’s book, Pride & A Pregnancy Secret was my favorite from the DDU series. Not only that, but who doesn’t love a story about a wine making family from Down Under? More to the point – Mistaken Mistress is the first book in Ms. Radley’s Saxon Brides trilogy, and its an excellent start. 

Alyssa Blake is a great heroine – and she’s incredibly nice. (A lot nicer than I would have been, definitely.) I love how human Alyssa is – the book starts out with her in a very volatile and uncertain situation. Rather than being brassy and abrasive, Alyssa is nervous, but squares her shoulders and does the best she can. The reader immediately empathizes with Alyssa. It doesn’t hurt that her life and experiences make her a very interesting character that you’re eager to read about. She’s smart, self made, vulnerable, and yet stubborn. Alyssa is her own person, and can definitely handle anything and everything that’s thrown at her. Alyssa definitely isn’t a door mat, but she’s not in your face and aggressive. She’s quite likable and admirable. It was nice to read about a character that had strong beliefs and is willing to stand by them.

Joshua Saxon is a hero’s hero. He’s rich, smart, someone everyone loves and looks up to – and did I mention rich? He’s a wine mogul, that seems cold and standoffish, but has a heart of gold. From the time we meet him, Joshua clearly has a number of nuances and complexities to his character to be discovered. I love how instant his attraction to Alyssa is, and then how he reacts once he finds out who she is. Joshua’s reactions are realistic and natural, but regardless of how people take them, the reader knows his heart is in the right place. I loved that Joshua was very stern, but truly a soft touch. He’s also dynamic in that he can act like a jerk, but shows remorse for treating someone unfairly. Joshua is affectionate once you get past the reserve, and sorting through the layers really helps forward the plot.

The story of Mistaken Mistress is rather complex, and very engaging. There’s a lot going on, but at no time does the plot become confusing or overbearing. It’s definitely something you have to read for yourself. It was also nice that the Alyssa and Joshua have a strong and instant reaction to each other, but it isn’t smooth sailing for them. Joshua believes Alyssa to be someone she isn’t, which creates tension between them. Add to that a scathing article Alyssa wrote about Joshua and Saxon Family Wines previously, and you have a great story on your hands.

I have to admit, at times I was a tad annoyed at the actions of the characters. Alyssa was something of a martyr. Yes, she promised not to disclose certain facts, but it did annoy me as to all the abuse she had to take. (Though I understand that she had to, and it was part of the story.) Nevertheless it never got to the point of overbearing. I also had a slight problem with the Saxon parent’s actions, but that was also a minor issue. Lastly, the complete about face in regards to Joshua’s actions, btu those are based on him learning some crucial information that changes his opinion.

The romance in Mistaken Mistress is very satisfying. Physical attraction is there from the start, but their emotional connection develops slowly, and is very believable. Joshua and Alyssa get to know each other and it’s clear they genuinely like each other, though they did not trust one another at first. It was also nice how Ms. Radley uses circumstances and the current situation to bring characters together.

Ms. Radley seems to have perfected the category romance. A great story, the perfect length, just enough to keep you interested – I can’t wait for her other novels (especially the rest of the Saxon Brides trilogy). Mistaken Mistress covers enough to be a believable and satisfying story, without choppy scenes or plot lines. The characters are developed, but at no point is the story bogged down by unnecessary description or imagery. I’m pretty sure I stayed up until 4 am to finish this book, and it was worth every minute. I definitely recommend this book if you like the Silhoutte Desire line, Ms. Radley’s books, or a nice contemporary romance that’s a quick read that’s well written.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Joshua Saxon, the arrogant millionaire who ran New Zealand’s premier winery, believed Alyssa Blake had been his late brother’s mistress. But the true connection between Alyssa and the Saxons was even more shocking.

From the first moment they met, both Alyssa and Joshua had been shaken by a passion that could not be denied. But what could the future hold for a man and woman with so many secrets and lies between them…?

Read an excerpt here.

Limecello’s review of Pride & A Pregnancy Secret by Tessa Radley
Contemporary romance published by Silhouette Desire on 12 Feb 08

While secret baby stories aren’t my favorite, I really enjoyed Pride & A Pregnancy Secret and felt that Ms. Radley did an excellent job with her book. In fact, this was my favorite story in the Diamonds Down Under (DDU) series – most of which are still available at eHarlequin. I also singled this book out because Ms. Radley is writing a  new series titled The Saxon Brides – which are loosely connected to the DDU books.

Jessica Cotter is a terrific heroine – smart, strong, but still emotionally available. She’s deeply in love, but is able to get out of a situation that is causing her more harm than good. Jessica hasn’t had the easiest life, and some of the situations she had to deal with growing up made her especially sensitive about relationships. I loved Jess’s personality and think she’d make a fabulous friend.

Ryan Blackstone is a fun hero – maybe not so much in personality, but because the reader gets to follow his growth as a person. He’s the stereotypical epic tycoon. He’s great with business relationships, but less successful with personal ones. Ryan’s family was dysfunctional, and his father was never any sort of role model.

For all that Ryan wanted a no strings attached affair from the start, he quickly begins to change his mind after Jessica leaves, and it’s quite enjoyable seeing Ryan scramble to win her back. Pride & A Pregnancy Secret doesn’t have a unique story line, but Ms. Radley manages to breathe new life and depth into the plot. There are a number of poignant scenes, and one of my favorites is the following (it happens after their “break-up”):

He suspected that, unlike him, Jessica was going to regret the night they’d shared when she woke.

Resisting the urge to kiss her goodbye, he let himself quietly out of the room.

Before she awoke and he read the regret in her eyes.

There were also some brilliant scenes where Jess and Ryan argued. I also loved how Ryan had his jealous moments. (Something about a possessive hero really grabs me.) Ryan isn’t jealous in an unhealthy way – or at all controlling-  and his reaction really is because he know he’s losing Jessica. Delicious. Of course, there are also the light and fun moments in the book. Ms. Radley manages to insert humor into tense situations, alleviating the strain and stress caused by elevated emotions. It was also nice to have cameo appearances by other characters in the series – both Blackstone and Hammonds.

I really like the Down Under authors. It’s fun to read about a culture similar, yet different – and all the [exotic] food, flora and fauna. One such discovery is Bundaberg ginger beer. (I’m very curious about it.) Pride & A Pregnancy Secret offers a great story, great characters, and while it fits perfectly in the Diamonds Down Under series it also stands alone well. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Ms. Radley’s writing or books from the Desire line, and especially to someone who has read other books in the DDU series.

Grade: A-

“I’M HAVING YOUR BABY.”

They were words she would never speak to her lover, Ryan Blackstone, Australia’s richest gem dealer. For Jessica Cotter was his secret mistress, with him only for torrid sessions behind the drawn drapes of his bachelor bedroom. She had no future with the man whose mantra was No kids, No carats. Though she knew the rules, Jess had broken them. Now she had no choice but to walk away from Ryan…unless the man with a heart as hard as diamonds could learn to love her back…

Read an excerpt here.