Tag: Shana Galen

From Rags to Kisses by Shana Galen

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

From Rags to Kisses (The Survivors, #11)From Rags to Kisses by Shana Galen

Tracy’s rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: The Survivors, #11

Release Date: September 14, 2021

Aiden Sterling met Jenny Tate, the love of his life when he was only 12 years old. Against her better judgment, Jenny saved Aiden’s life when she found him left for dead in one of London’s rookeries, and the two formed a bond. For years they watched over each other and became the best of friends, later when they grew older, they became lovers, and words of love were spoken and promises of forever were made. But not long after those words were spoken everything changed. Aiden’s birth father’s family found him and Aiden left the rookery, promising to return for her. He left and joined the army and was soon part of Draven’s troop. He fought in the war and by some miracle survived. But when he returned to England and went looking for Jenny, he couldn’t find her and assumed she was dead. Heartbroken, he turned his passion to making money and was soon one of the richest men in England. Now thirteen years after he left her, Jenny is back in his life and he is desperate to find a way to keep her there. But it won’t be easy because one she hates him and two she is betrothed…

Jenny loved Aiden and when he left was heartbroken, but life goes on she refused to let his betrayal break her. About a year after he left, she was breaking into a house and was caught, but instead of calling the authorities, Roland, Viscount Chamberlayne instead offers her a job as his assistant. A job she takes and spends the next twelve years learning to appraise antiquities and to be a lady. She and Roland become friends and when whispers about Roland’s choice of lovers sets the ton against him, Jenny steps in and suggests they marry to save his reputation. It is not long after that while attending a ball, she comes face to face with Aiden. She would happily give him the cut direct, but Roland wants to investigate some artifacts that were found in Aiden’s house and is delighted to learn that Jenny and Aiden know each other. Aiden agrees to let them view the artifacts and sets his plan in motion to woo Jenny by proposing a wager – if he wins, she will help him find Harley, a street urchin who saved one of his friend’s wife and if she wins, he will have the artifacts sent to Roland’s house and won’t bother her anymore. But winning the wager isn’t enough to win Jenny’s love again, for that Aiden will have to prove to Jenny that not only does he love her, but that she is worthy of love…

This was a very well-written, nicely paced story with wonderful characters and a lot of emotion. The book is set in two parts, the first part is the past when Aiden and Jenny meet and their struggles growing up in the rookery, the second part is years later when they are both grown and successful. The book is filled with emotion, great secondary characters, cameos from previous survivors (including a cameo from Gideon of the Covent Street Cubs), steamy love scenes, homing pigeons, a secondary romance of forbidden love, and finally a HEA. I did feel like not enough attention was given to Aiden’s time with Draven’s troop or how he became so rich in such a short time and I had a real problem with Jenny getting physical with Aiden while she was engaged to Roland – yes, their’s was to be a MOC and he supported her having lovers after they married, but by carrying on with Aiden before they wed, she put Roland and his lover in danger and in my mind, not only cheated on him, she betrayed him. I am mentioning this because, while I know this doesn’t bother everyone, it bothers me and might be a trigger for some readers. Those points aside, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to people who are following the series. This is the eleventh book in the series, but it can be read as a stand-alone title without any issues.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Her Royal Payne by Shana Galen

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

Her Royal Payne (The Survivors #10)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Survivors #10
Publication Date: 6/15/21
Period: Regency

This book is fast-paced, interesting, and adventurous while easily entwining romance and love with danger and suspense. I read it through in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down – so imagine my bleary eyes at 7:30 AM when I finally read the last word. The characters are compelling, interesting, strong, complex, and absolutely perfect for each other. We met and got to know Rowden Payne in book 9 of the series, Sweet Rogue of Mine, when Rowden helped his fellow survivor, Nash Pope, find his way back from the dark abyss in which he’d been living. We actually have two romances in this book – one between Rowden and Modesty and another between Rowden’s manager, Chibale Okoro, and a French modiste, Therese Renauld. The main romance, of course, is between Rowden and Modesty, but Chibale and Therese’s story takes up quite a bit of real estate in the story as well.

Since being disinherited by his father, a duke, Rowden Payne has earned his living as the pugilist known as the Royal Payne. It pleases Rowden that his success as a pugilist rankles his father, and Royal Payne just adds to that. Rowden may be large, strong, handsome, and a celebrated war hero, but he is also one of the nicest and most caring people we’ll meet. It will make your heart hurt to learn that he will never marry and have a family of his own. He’s so lonesome and in need of a family since he no longer has the one into which he was born.

Modesty Brown is the daughter of a very strict, uptight, puritanical preacher, Samuel Brown. After losing her mother around the age of five, Modesty had no one except her father. She idolized both of her parents and did her very best to emulate them in all facets of her life. She was obedient and dutiful as any good daughter should be. How could she be otherwise when her father was perfect? Or is he?

The meeting between Rowden and Modesty is priceless. He’s seconds away from winning a lucrative match when he is distracted by a group of religious zealots who march into the audience shouting and urging the attendees to repent and leave that evil place. He’s distracted by the riveting eyes on the young woman in the group – but only for a second – that second, however, is all it takes to get him knocked out.

Somehow, Modesty keeps intruding into his life and while he knows he should just refuse to help her, he can’t do that. He refuses to love her – he certainly won’t marry her – but he’ll do all in his power to keep her safe when her father disappears.

At the same time, Rowden is doing his best to avoid Modesty, his manager, Chibale, is actively pursuing a popular French modiste, Therese. Chibale is a great character and I liked him very much. His grandfather emigrated from Africa to England before Chibale’s father was born. His parents are lovely people and they have raised a loving family while running a successful imported spice business. Chibale is smart, articulate, confident, and very caring. Therese has a sad history that she left behind in France and doesn’t trust men. However, Chibale is such a caring man – so attentive and loving toward his sister – how could she not come to respect – and even care for him.

When both Modesty and Therese are threatened by the same evil, Rowden and Chibale will each do all they can to save the ladies.

I absolutely loved the book and highly recommend it. You can’t go wrong with two romances, wonderful characters, and exciting, dangerous adventures. I felt Chibale and Therese’s romance took time and development away from Rowden and Modesty. I understand the current requirement that every book have some sort of racial or sexual preference segment in it. However, I would have loved to see Chibale and Therese in their own novella. That would have allowed further development of each of the characters and their romance. I think the author did an outstanding job with the combination of romances, but I was left wanting more of each of them. I would also have loved to see some hint of a softening in Rowden’s father as well.

Bottom line – it is a wonderful read and you absolutely cannot go wrong by reading it.

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