Month: April 2017

The Reluctant Wife by Caroline Warfield

On By BarbaraIn Barb's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Reluctant Wife (Children of Empire Book 2)The Reluctant Wife by Caroline Warfield

Barb’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Children Of Empire – Book 2
Publication Date: April 26, 2017

This book is a delightful find and my very first by Caroline Warfield. Ms. Warfield paints such a compelling picture of the sights, smells, sounds and life in India that you feel you are there. Then, you add in a camel ride through a desert and a boat ride down the Nile and you are totally hooked!

Can you believe a Historical Romance novel where neither the hero nor heroine are part of the ton? Well, we have it here and it is a wonderful change. Yes, there are dukes and earls, but they aren’t the main characters in the book. Our hero is a military man stationed in India and our heroine is a widow with a past. We also get a glimpse of English society in colonial India and I think it is probably even more restrictive than it was in London among the ton.

I can only think that Captain Fred Wheatly has a split personality because of the two totally different ways he reacts to situations. He always does the exact right thing for the exact right reason and yet he always ends up in trouble. He is totally honorable and the people in the village where he is stationed respect him totally. Yet he doesn’t get promoted – why??? Well, the reason is that he treats people with respect rather than the brutality his superiors demand. Now – the other side of that split. He lives with his mistress and their two daughters in the village where he is stationed, yet he doesn’t even know his children’s names. I just can’t merge those two images of this man.

Clare Armbruster is a widow and the sister of Fred’s commanding officer. She and Fred meet during a public confrontation outside Fred’s house – just after his mistress has died. Fred’s house steward wants to sell the daughters because they are half-caste and the cook disagrees with him. Fred comes home amid the argument and Clare steps in to comfort and console the little girls.

Clare has always been put down and ignored by the men in her life and she’s looking to change that. All she wants is to sell the unmanageable house that has been left to her by an aunt and buy a small cottage where she can grow herbs. She has traveled to the small village near Bengal to get her brothers permission to sell the house.

There are many mean spirited and hateful people in the story, but there are also many wonderful and loving people as well. You’ll love the little girls – they just steal the show. Meghal is older and very, very curious – not to mention brave – and Ananya is younger and very shy. Jonny is also a very sweet and special young boy – but you’ll have to read the book to find his story!

I highly recommend the book.

** I received an eARC of this book from the author in return for my honest review **

Duke with Benefits by Manda Collins

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

Duke with Benefits (Studies in Scandal #2)Duke with Benefits by Manda Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

Release Date: 6/27/17

I thought that Ready, Set, Rogue was my new favorite Manda Collins book and it was, until I read Duke with Benefits! Sorry, Ivy and Quill – Dalton and Daphne’s story has taken over as my favorite!

I loved the Duke of Maitland aka Dalton in the first book, he was charming, easy going and obviously head over heels for Daphne. Daphne was a bit off-putting in the first book, not unlikable – she kind of reminded me of Temperance Brennan aka Bones – brilliant, blunt and socially oblivious – not intentionally unkind but still somewhat obnoxious.

The prologue of this book starts shortly before the end of RSR, with Daphne propositioning Dalton and him refusing her. Chapter One starts about 3 months later. Daphne has been searching for the Cameron Cipher, which leads to the stash of gold that the Cameron clan hid after the uprising. The letter that Lady Celeste left for her made it clear that she wanted Daphne to find and solve the cipher. She didn’t tell any of the others about her search and reasons that Ivy didn’t tell her about her quest and she assumes that Sophia and Gemma have their secrets too. So when, Nigel Sommersby, someone from Daphne’s past shows up and mentions the cipher, Daphne must reveal her secret. The others are all willing to help her, but she wants to do it on her own. That is until Sommersby turns up dead and someone takes a shot at Daphne.

Dalton goes into hyper protective mode and is determined to keep Daphne safe. Dalton is the only person that Daphne truly feels comfortable with and even though his rejection still hurts her, she enjoys his company and trusts him. She accepts his offer of protection and begins to open up about her past. The more Dalton hears, the more he wants to keep her safe. So when her father shows up and demands that she leave the estate with him, Dalton claims they are betrothed.

Daphne is stunned by this announcement, but plays along knowing that her father would never turn away a duke! And Dalton convinces her that being betrothed will enable them to spend more time together searching for the cipher without damaging her reputation. What she doesn’t know is that Dalton has every intention of making their pretend engagement real.

While following up on a clue, they are caught in a storm and take shelter at an inn. Once inside they are spotted together by an old acquaintance of Dalton’s who is a notorious gossip. When “Pinky” makes a rude insinuation about Daphne, Dalton claims that they are married. He later tells Daphne that they must marry and she agrees, if he will be her lover. She wants to make sure that her past will not interfere with their future and makes him promise to let her go if she can’t be a true wife to him.

From here the story really takes off, there are more clues, more victims, more betrayal, more steamy love scenes, an abduction, treasure and finally a very sweet HEA.

Daphne really grew as a person in this book and that was due in large part to Dalton. She isn’t perfect and is still a bit socially awkward, but it comes across as more endearing than annoying. The relationship between Daphne and Dalton was perfectly paced and believable, I felt the connection between them and it was much more than lust.

I would highly recommend this book and would strongly suggest reading Ready, Set, Rogue before starting this story. It is not 100% necessary, but it will give you a better understanding of the characters and why they are all at the estate. Not to mention it is a really awesome book!