Tuesday 21 February 2012

#215 (#13 of 2012) - Gypsy ~ Lesley Pearse



ISBN or E-book:

978-0-718-15283-3

Publisher:

Penguin

Main Character(s):

Miss Beth Bolton, her Brother Sam, Jack the sharp-witted Londoner and Theo the gambling Aristocrat.

Rating and Brief Description:

Beth and Sam's Father hangs himself and after the death of their mother a short time later they are forced to make their own way in the world.

Eventually their travels take them by Sea to New York to see their fortune.  On the journey the encounter both Jack and Theo ..... two very different people.

Their journey takes them across America and Canada, eventually ending up in the Klondike Gold Fields .... Beth lives by her Fiddle and amazing talent ... they men live by their wits ..... all hoping that they will make their fortune.

A tale of endurance and trust ... but does it include love for Beth? A 4.5 star read, which after a faltering start I really enjoyed.

Hugs

Kay

#214 (#12 of 2012) A Precious Jewel ~ Mary Balogh


ISBN or E-book:

978-0-440-24463-9

Publisher:

Bantam

Main Characters:

Miss Priscilla Wentworth and Sir Gerald Stapleton

Rating and Brief Description:

Gentle Born Miss Priscilla is suddenly left alone and penniless and cast upon her cousin for support and protection, who has made it abundantly clear that he sees her more of a servant than a relative to be looked after.  When he also starts to make sexual advances Priscilla decides to seek out her old Governess, who it seems now runs a finishing school in London.

However, when Priscilla gets there she finds that it is not exactly a finishing school, rather a high end whorehouse.  She was given the opportunity to live with Miss Blythe and become her secretary or companion, but takes the enormous and irrevocable step of becoming one of the working girls.

Sir Gerald has no intention of getting married, or even keeping a mistress .... he'd rather visit Miss Blythe's establishment and pay for uncomplicated sex with the no emotional attachment required.

Unfortunately, after his first time with Priscilla he visits more and more often .... eventually deciding that perhaps she would do for a Mistress until he got tired of her .... perhaps for the time of the lease he's taken on the house he provides.

Is it possible to remain that detached, or does the heart always get in the way?

A lovely, and a slightly different story from Mary Balogh, which really merits a 4 star rating.  A nice tearful ending.

Hugs 

Kay

Tuesday 7 February 2012

#213 (#11 of 2012) - Faro's Daughter ~ Georgette Heyer


ISBN or e-book:

978-0-09-946559-1

Publisher:

Arrow Books

Main Characters:

Miss Deborah Grantham and Mr Max Ravenscar

Brief outline of plot and rating:

Max is implored by his Aunt to rescue his young cousin from a thoroughly unsatisfactory passion he has developed for one Miss Deborah Grantham, who runs a Faro table in her Aunt's gaming house.

Max is on an entirely unromantic bent, and as tight as the proberbial duck's bottom, and decides that he would rather ruin her than pay her a groat.

Deborah has a temper, and although she has no intention of marrying the young Lord she is provoked beyond all measure by the high handed Max.

A battle royal begins, but will Max rescue his cousin, and will the protagonists come out heart whole?

After my last disastrous read this was a refreshing 4.5 star rating.

Kay

EPIC FAIL - The Scandal of the Season


ISBN or e-book:

978-0-701-18116-1

Publisher:

Chatto & Windus

Main Characters:

Alexander Pope (a poet)

Brief Outline of Plot and Rating:

A big fact Epic Fail from me - although my mother read it (struggling at first) and enjoyed it.  I've battled on for over a week, and decided that it merits the Epic Fail socre of -1.

The main character is one Alexander Pope (a poet), and whilst this is supposed to be a work of fiction I believe that it might be based on him .... forgive me author if that is not the case, but I'm unprepared to go on further to find out.  Not my style of content or actual writing style ... ponderous in the extreme and wholly unexciting.

Kay

Monday 6 February 2012

#212 (#10 of 2012) - The Secret Mistress ~ Mary Balogh

picture




IBSN or ebook:


978-0-7499-5697-4

Publisher:

Piatkus


Main Characters:

Lady Angeline Dudley and Edward Ailsbury, Earl of Heyward

Brief outline of plot and rating:

Angeline's pedigree dictated that she land a title, but her heart dictated a kind heart in the one she wed.  Throw in a stolen kiss, a scoundrel and a man on honour that his set his heart on a long-term friend as his bride and you have a nice read on your hands.

Mary Balogh is one of my favourite authors, and this book lived up to expectations with a 4 star rating.

Kay

#211 (#9 of 2012) - The Woman from Browhead ~ Audrey Howard




IBSN or ebook:

978-0-749-3726-30-340-60704-1

Publisher:

Coronet

Main Characters:

Annie Abbott and Read Macauley

Brief outline of plot and rating:

I have in fact already read the sequel to this book, and so had an idea how it was likely to turn out - is that cheating?

I am happy to report that this book didn't disappoint in the amount of misery served up to the characters, and  also that the story was nicely finished off too - just how I like them.

A good solid 4 star read.

Kay