Month: October 2019

Earl of Charm by Maggie Dallen

On By BarbaraIn Author Collaboration Series, Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837), NovellaLeave a comment

Earl of Charm (Wicked Earls' Club)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Earl’s Club #17
Publication Date: 10/22/19
Number of Pages: 98

This was a lovely sweet addition to the Wicked Earl’s Club – Christmas edition. It was well-written and the story was lovely and uplifting. I loved the characters and can’t wait to read more about them in the spinoff series – The School of Charm. It was also lovely to have a brief visit with a former Wicked Earl, the Earl of Davenport, and his lovely wife.

Alexander (Alex) Gordon admired his older brother, Frederick, – well adored is more like it. Alex thought that his father was a wonderful earl and that Frederick was even better. Frederick was handsome, charming, full of vitality, wise – all of the things that made up an excellent earl. There is no way shy, studious, tongue-tied, quiet, honest, and brusque Alex can ever hope to fill his shoes. Except, that is exactly what has to happen thanks to Frederick’s tragic death in a hunting accident. While the former Earl’s of Charmain took delight in being called the Earl of Charm, Alex knew it would devolve into a derisive term during his tenure because charming is one thing he definitely was not.

Lady Clara Lovelace is the daughter of a disgraced line. None of it is her fault, her father the Marquess of Tarlow, had bankrupted the estate and then killed himself leaving Clara and her sister Edith with nothing and totally dependent on the charity of family members. She is now the companion of Gertrude Trumbolt, Dowager Duchess of Redmayne – also affectionately known as Aunt Gertie to Alex and his sister.

As Christmas nears, Clara and Aunt Gertie visit with Alex and his sister. Clara is charming and lovely and she quickly agrees to help Alex become more charming. Her best advice is for him to actually listen to the speaker rather than thinking of what his next comment should be – or even worse – instead of woolgathering. As they work together, he is more and more smitten and so is she, but they can never be. Because of her family scandal, she would only bring his family down, and he is expected to fulfill his brother’s obligation to his fiancée.

Will they get a Christmas miracle? Will his brother’s fiancée insist on marriage between herself and Alex? You’ll just have to read this delightful tale to find out for yourself.

Mysteries Of Lady Theo by Rachel Ann Smith

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Mysteries Of Lady Theo (Agents Of The Home Office, #2)Barbara’s rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: Agents of the Home Office #2
Publication Date: 11/5/19
Number of Pages: 271
** 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4

We finally meet the mysterious head of the Home Office. We also learn of his secret duties that are even more important. He’s a PORF – and I’ll leave it at that – you can read the book to learn what it is – but it is a very important task.

Graham Drummond, Earl of Archbroke, has been head of the Home Office since he was six and twenty. He’s the youngest ever to hold the position and he’s also the best to ever hold it. He’s a brilliant tactician and a natural leader – everyone respects him. He’s now nine and twenty and the long hours and stress of his job have taken their toll on his body, but he’s shocked when the young lady with whom he is dancing guesses his age to be forty. He realizes it is definitely time to make some life changes. (Actually, I loved this part – where he wasn’t a perfect physical specimen.)

Lady Theodora (Theo) Neale, daughter to the Earl of Hadfield, has had too much recent loss in her life. First, she lost her much-loved brother, Baldwin, then, her beloved papa. On his death-bed, her papa told her about the meaning of the mark on her foot and he told her she was to take over the family’s duty to the crown. He wasn’t turning that task over to her cousin who would inherit the Earldom – he wanted Theo in that role and he made her promise to fulfill it. (Note that we never really learned why her father made that decision since he liked his heir, trusted him and respected him.) Her papa made her understand that she could never, ever, let anyone see her mark or discuss anything with anyone else – unless they also had the mark.

Theo’s cousin, Landon, the new earl of Hadfield wants only the best for Theo. He gives her time to mourn and then insists that they spend the season in London. He doesn’t expect her to marry – or even to court – unless she wants to do so. He just wants her to enjoy her time. Theo doesn’t want to go, but she does need to find the man her papa told her to see. She’ll also get to see her good friend Lucy (from Secrets of Lady Lucy) and that worries her because she’ll have to keep her new role a secret from Lucy.

The mystery surrounds the book that Theo and some maps. Theo and Graham begin to work together to sort out the clues and identify a suspect. In order to work together and help Theo with her training, they begin a pseudo-courtship. Of course – that courtship easily becomes real.

I have to say that I finished this book with many more questions than when I started. It almost felt like a ‘filler’ book to introduce Landon (and a couple of others) into the series. I think that is a shame because both Theo and Graham are exceptional characters and this could have been a really exciting read. The mystery was pretty lackluster and it seemed Lucy – from the last book – was more involved than Theo.

At the moment, this new author seems to be trying to find her sea legs. The first book – a novella – Desires Of Lady Elise – was a bit on the lackluster side, then Secrets of Lady Lucy came along and it was really interesting and fast-paced, now, we are back to slower-paced and more lackluster. Hopefully, the next book will be back to being exciting and fast-paced. They should hurry and solve the overarching mystery or they’ll run out of agents – Matthew left for the continent in the last book and Landon left in this one. Both taking off on their own.

Anyway, it is a nice read and I really liked both Theo and Graham. Maybe we’ll see them again in the next books and we’ll get to know them better then.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.