2014 – Book #51

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance, Lords of Vice series by rebeccabook17

The fifty-first books I read in 2014 was Twilight with the Infamous Earl by Alexandra Hawkins. This is the seventh book in the Lords of Vice series by this author. I finished this book on 6/11/14. I rated this book 4 stars out of a scale of 5. This book was about Lord Chillingsworth, known to his friends as Frost, and Miss Emily Cavell. Emily and Frost happen to meet on the London streets and Frost is fascinated by this red-head. Emily has her own reasons for being in London though and none of them include being ravished by this scoundrel. But when Frost finds out that Emily is publicly spouting her disapproval of Nox (the gambling club owned by the Lords of Vice), Frost decides to take Emily on and convince her to leave Nox alone, even if it means seducing her.

I don’t want to talk too much about the book’s plot because talking about things that even happen in the beginning could give away a lot about the book. I will say thought that this was a great book. i loved the plot, I could feel the characters emotions more than I ever could in the books in the series before. My only issue with this book is that I felt like the author skipped over an important area. About 3/4 of the way through the book the heroine is waiting for Frost to arrive at an event to tell him something and she is being basically snubbed by the Lords of Vice, and then the next chapter its like a week later and Frost somehow knows the information from Emily and has already done all the research to find the person she was looking for. I felt like we just missed a whole chapter of things with almost no transition. And I felt like important things could’ve happened in that chapter.

Other than that complaint I thought this book was great. The plot line was interesting, I loved the heroine, and to be honest (and trust me I was plenty surprised) I actually ended up liking Frost’s character. He was an asshole (pardon my French) in all the other books but I he turned out to be great in his own book. Although, if you think too hard about it you’ll find it a little hard to believe, as I did, that Frost is a nice guy now that he has his own book and he all of a sudden just decided to give up his philandering ways and take on monogamy. I’m not sure that I 100% believe that but that’s ok, it was still a very interesting and sweet story.

Looking at the series overall, I would say that I enjoyed the Lords of Vice series. I am wondering if the author plans to write another series on the 2nd set of Lords of Vice, but for now this is the end of the series I think. I took an average of my ratings on the 7 books in the series and it turned out to be just above a 3.5 star average out of 5 stars. I would say this is a decent rating and I would recommend the series if you like historical romance.

Link to author website: http://www.alexandrahawkins.com/

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Infamous-Earl-Lords-Vice/dp/1250001390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402577999&sr=8-1&keywords=twilight+with+the+infamous+earl

Link to rest of reviews in Lords of Vice series: https://rebeccabookreview.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/book-series-book-reviews/lords-of-vice-series/

8Jun2014

2014 – Book #50

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance, Lords of Vice series by rebeccabook17

The fiftieth book I read in 2014 was Dusk with a Dangerous Duke by Alexandra Hawkins. This is the sixth book in the Lords of Vice series by this author. I finished this book on 6/8/14. I rated this book 3 stars out of a scale of 5. This book was about the Duke of Huntsley, known to his friends as Hunter, and Lady Grace Kearly. Lady Grace and Hunter were betrothed to each other when Hunter was only twelve years old and Lady Grace a mere two. Hunter’s grandfather did it to protect her from her devilish uncle and Hunter’s grandmother did it to protect Hunter from the financial destitution that his grandfather and father had left the dukedom in.

Nineteen years later, Hunter still resents the burden that was placed on him at so young an age. He has studiously ignored Lady Grace’s existence for the last nineteen years, even though she has been in his charge and his to take care of for most of her life. Lady Grace has waited in the country for the last nineteen years and with her twenty-first birthday now only weeks away (the deadline in the marriage contract for Lady Grace and Hunter to wed) Grace has decided to take matters into her own hands. She needs to marry to escape the evil clutches of her uncle, but that does not necessarily mean that she need marry Hunter. Grace decides to travel to London to find her own husband.

To be honest I found it impossible to like the hero starring in this book. He was an ass from beginning to almost end (for like the last 20 pages he apparently did a complete 180 and was nice I guess but still). How is it just ok that he literally tricked, drugged, and then finally forced Grace to marry him. I mean I realize from the story line that time was of the essence but still, there had to be another way. He was nothing but a high-handed arrogant asshole through the whole story. He didn’t listen to Grace once or even really try to make up for the nineteen years he had ignored her even though he and every single other person he talked to about it realized that he was absolutely in the wrong.

Overall, this was obviously not my favorite book. I think I liked it a little better than the fifth book in the series (All Afternoon with a Scandalous Marquess) but I don’t think I like it all that much more. There’s only one more book in the series so I am going to see it through to the end. I’m hoping the next one is better than these last two. Stay tuned.

Link to author website: http://www.alexandrahawkins.com/

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dusk-Dangerous-Duke-Lords-Vice/dp/1250001382/ref=pd_rhf_gw_s_cp_3_F0MV?ie=UTF8&refRID=0CDCTZMZQCTMNGZTQ0Y9

Link to rest of reviews in Lords of Vice series: https://rebeccabookreview.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/book-series-book-reviews/lords-of-vice-series/

7Jun2014

2014 – Book #49

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance, Lords of Vice series by rebeccabook17

The forty-ninth book I read in 2014 was All Afternoon with a Scandalous Marquess by Alexandra Hawkins. This is the fifth book in the Lords of Vice series by this author. I finished this book on 6/6/14. I rated this book 2.75 stars out of a scale of 5. This book was about Simon Jefferes, the Marquess of Sainthill (known to his friends as “Saint”), and Madame Venna, the proprietress of the Golden Pearl. The Golden Pearl is London’s most infamous and well-established brother, and Saint has been drawn to her from the first day they met. And when after a year of chasing Saint finally manages to get Madame Venna into bed with him, she immediately distances herself from him.

Six years later, Saint still can’t seem to get Madame off his mind. He’s slept with many other women employed by Madame Venna and he still only seems to want the proprietress herself. Meanwhile Madame Venna is living a double life both as the proprietress of the Golden Pearl and also as mild-mannered philanthropist Catherine Deverall. Saint encounters Catherine on the streets of London and he begins courting her, not realizing that Catherine and Madame Venna are one in the same.

Overall I was not a fan of this book. I didn’t like that both the hero and the heroine had sex with the best friend of the other and they kept throwing it in each other’s face and it just bothered me a lot. I didn’t like the end very much either. The story kind of jumped all over the place to try and fit an ending into place and it ended up just being choppy and hard to follow. Also why was there never any confrontation between Catherine and her father. She has a deep hatred of him throughout the book (and rightly so) but then all of a sudden at the end everything is ok? I felt like I was missing something there.

While I was not a fan of this book, I always feel like a series should be read in full so as not to miss any of the parts. The series is one that I overall like so far but this book was definitely not my favorite in the series.

Link to author website: http://www.alexandrahawkins.com/

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Afternoon-Scandalous-Marquess-Lords-Vice/dp/1250001374/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

Link to rest of reviews in Lords of Vice series: https://rebeccabookreview.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/book-series-book-reviews/lords-of-vice-series/

3Jun2014

2014 – Book #48

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance, Lords of Vice series by rebeccabook17

The forty-eighth book I read in 2014 was Sunrise with a Notorious Lord by Alexandra Hawkins. This is the fourth book in the Lords of Vice series by this author. I finished this book on 6/3/14. I rated this book 3.75 stars out of a scale of 5. This book tells the story of Christopher, Earl of Vanewright, commonly known to his friends as Vane, and Miss Isabel Thorne. Isabel happens to meet Vane’s mother when she is visiting a friend in Isabel’s hometown. Vane’s mother thinks that Isabel would be the perfect match for Vane, and she has long past decided that it is time for Vane to settle down and get married. So Vane’s mother comes up with a plan to draw them together. Unfortunately that plan almost ends up tearing them apart.

Isabel’s sister Delia is always the sister that men seem to be drawn to. So when Vane devotes his attention to Isabel, she can hardly believe it. Isabel thinks that Delia and Vane are the ones who are meant to be together and believes that this is the match Vane’s mother is encouraging. Her attraction to him is so strong, but she feels extremely guilty to feel this way about someone who could be her future brother-in-law. Isabel’s character is very strong but she tends to let her sister get away with a lot. I felt through the whole book that somebody needed to teach Delia a lesson. I mean there was only one guy Isabel felt even vaguely fond of from where she lived and Isabel catches Delia making out with him. And Delia wasn’t even sorry, she had some stupid smug grin on her face like she was happy that she was hurting Isabel. What a jerk.

One of the other things I didn’t like about this book is that I wish I had seen some form of outcome with Lord Botly. He is Isabel’s grandfather, and years ago he had shunned his daughter (Isabel’s mother) when she ran away and married a commoner (Isabel’s father). There is mention of Lord Botly in the book and Isabel even runs into him at a masquerade ball but we never really find out if he really doesn’t like Isabel as she was led to believe her whole life. I also wish I could’ve found out what happened with Isabel’s sister. She runs off in the end but what ends up happening to her? Do they find her? Does she get what’s coming to her? I have trouble when I have this many unanswered questions, it leaves me feeling unsettled even after I’ve finished the book.

Overall I thought this was a good book. I found the plot interesting and I could feel the characters and their emotions jumping from the pages. I thought this was an excellent addition to the series. I liked Isabel’s character except for the fact that she could have stood up for herself a little more. I would recommend reading it if you’re reading the series.

Link to author website: http://www.alexandrahawkins.com/

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Notorious-Lord-Lords-Vice/dp/1250001366/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1401818615&sr=1-1

Link to rest of reviews in Lords of Vice series: https://rebeccabookreview.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/book-series-book-reviews/lords-of-vice-series/

24May2014

2014 – Book #41

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance, Lords of Vice series by rebeccabook17

The forty-first book I read in 2014 was After Dark with a Scoundrel by Alexandra Hawkins. I finished this book on 5/23/14. This is the third book in the Lords of Vice series by this author. I rated this book 4 stars out of a scale of 5. This book tells the story of Regan, sister of the Earl of Chillingworth who is one of the Lords of Vice, and Lord Hugh Mordare, also one of the Lords of Vice. When Chillingworth (“Frost”) catches Dare kissing his sister when she’s just 15, Frost immediately sends Regan away to a school for girls (which if you ask me seems a little extreme). Regan is devastated at being ripped away from her family, and five years later there is still a distinct strain on her relationship with her brother.

Regan’s parents were both gone by the time she was a little girl, so she was basically raised by the Lords of Vice. I thought that brought an interesting dynamic to her character, as she was raised by very rough men so she knows how to fence and fight. I thought Frost was a bit rough in how he treated her though. He would talk very crudely in front of her and I was surprised that as her brother she wouldn’t try to shield her a little more. I think I said this in a previous post but I’m not sure how I’m going to feel when I get to Frost’s book. I don’t especially like him. Anyway, Regan comes back to London after 5 years at her girl’s finishing school. Frost tries to forbid her from returning but she is determined to seduce Dare since she’s been in love with him her whole life.

Dare doesn’t think he can risk opening up his heart again after what happened the last time, when the woman he loved had an affair with his brother behind his back. Dare can’t seem to help but let Regan into his heart though, especially since he’s known her almost all her life. Overall I thought this was a very sweet, touching story. I couldn’t help but love the hero and heroine and found myself rooting for them through the story. I’m looking forward to the next Lords of Vice book!

Link to author website: http://www.alexandrahawkins.com

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/After-Dark-Scoundrel-Lords-Vice/dp/0312381263/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400853559&sr=8-1&keywords=after+dark+with+a+scoundrel

Link to review on book row in the Lords of Vice series: https://rebeccabookreview.wordpress.com/2014/04/30/2014-book-32/

Link to review on book one in the Lords of Vice series: https://rebeccabookreview.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/2014-book-19/

30Apr2014

2014 – Book #32

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance, Lords of Vice series, Romantic suspense by rebeccabook17

The thirty-second book I read in 2014 was Till Dawn wit the Devil by Alexandra Hawkins. This is the second book in the Lords of Vice series by this author. I finished this book on 4/29/14. I rated this book 4 stars out of a scale of 5. This book is about Lady Sophia Ravenshaw and Gabriel Housely, the Earl of Rainecourt, affectionately known to his friends as Reign. When these two meet at a ball, Reign is instantly attracted to the blond angel Sophia. When Sophia’s brother storms onto the terrace to rescue her from Reign’s scandalous nature, Reign discovers that his lady is a Ravenshaw. The Rancourt and Ravenshaw names are twisted together in a number of sordid past tragedies, but Reign can’t stop himself from wanting Sophia.

After Reign finds out Sophia is in trouble he races off to her rescue, but in rescuing her from her family he doesn’t realize he’s placing her in even greater danger. When he is faced with losing the love that’s begun to bloom inside of him, he knows he must fight for his wife’s life in order to keep what’s developing between them.

My blog post on the first book in the Lords of Vice series was overall not my favorite. There was a lot of things in the story that made me slightly uncomfortable while I was reading it. The second book in the series though was greatly improved, I liked it a lot better than the first. It was touching and interesting, sweet and steamy at the same time. Overall this was a great book and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Link to author website: http://www.alexandrahawkins.com/

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Till-Dawn-Devil-Lords-Vice/dp/0312381255/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398817956&sr=8-1&keywords=till+dawn+with+the+devil

26Mar2014

2014 – Book #19

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance, Lords of Vice series by rebeccabook17

The nineteenth book I finished in 2014 was All Night with a Rogue by Alexandra Hawkins. I finished this book on 3/25/14. It is the first book in the Lords of Vice series by this author, as well as the first book I’ve read by this author. I rated this book 3.25 stars out of a scale of 5. This book is about Lady Julianna Ivers and her encounter with the seductive Alexius Braverton, Marquess of Sinclair. Sinclair (aptly nick-named “Sin”) has a reputation for debauchery and has seemingly set his sights on Julianna. Little does she know that 1) the main reason he is doing this is because his sister asked him to ruin her and 2) he apparently does not take no for an answer.

This was one of those novels where the seductive hero convinces the heroine that a romp in the sheets is apparently worth losing her once precious reputation. And even after repeated attempts at saying no, with the right man “no” really means “yes” and he just seduces her anyway. How awful of a precedent to set. And then to make matters worse, Julianna gets trapped by not one but two absolute horrible men who (on separate occasions) hit her and tie her up and basically plan to have sex with her against her will. Honestly this story was at times quite awful in its depiction of the human nature. Plus Alexius and his sister both have what i would call slightly (in his sister’s case slightly is an understatement) sociopathic tendencies. And don’t even get me started on Julianna’s mother who basically sold her daughter to a man to pay for her own gambling debts.

With that said, it was hard to put this book down as depraved as the story line was it was also quite fascinating. While I would warn off any sensitive souls, I think I will continue in the series to see how it develops.

Link to author website: http://www.alexandrahawkins.com/

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/All-Night-Rogue-Lords-Vice/dp/0312580193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395792717&sr=8-1&keywords=all+night+with+a+rogue