DUCHESS BY NIGHT

AVON BOOKS (2008), 366 pages, $7.99 (paperback)
What happens when you take a prim and proper duchess and introduce her to one of the country’s most notoriously scandalous rogues?
You get a deliciously scandalous romance, of course.
Both Harriet and Jem (Lord Strange) were introduced earlier in previous James’ books. Harriet is a duchess, the widow of a man who loved chess more than her and committed suicide. Jem lives in a notorious house where orgies and wickedness are rumored to occur on a daily basis.
When Harriet’s friend concocts a plan to get her missing husband to return home, Harriet volunteers to accompany her. The plan? To visit Lord Strange’s house of iniquity. It works, and sets up James’ next novel in the Desperate Duchesses series.
But this book is about Harriet and Jem.
Harriet arrives at Jem’s house disguised as a young man – which causes Jem some angst at first. He eventually uncovers the truth (and Harriet) and the couple embarks on an affair.
Life in Jem’s house is unlike anything the prim and proper Harriet has ever experienced. But it’s like a scandalous vacation for Harriet, and while she cherishes her time there with Jem, she knows she can’t live that way forever.
And she can’t hide her identity as a duchess from Jem forever either.
Jem dislikes dukes and duchesses, so Harriet is reluctant to reveal her true identity. When she does, Jem doesn’t react very lovably.
But that just sets up the final four chapters (plus an epilogue) that are wonderfully romantic and in which Jem makes more than adequate amends for sending Harriet away with a broken heart.


Overall rating: 4 of 5 hearts. A romantic and fun story about two characters worthy of true love, but who have had a difficult time finding it. The supporting cast is delightful and the story is charming.

Hunk appeal: 10. Jem has his demons that unwittingly control his life. It’s nice to discover that he doesn’t completely live up to his wickedly and scandalous reputation – completely. He’s not totally gallant with Harriet all the time, but by the end he’s totally besotted and devoted.

Steamy scene grade: XXXX. He has his wicked and scandalous moments.

Happily-Ever-After: Very good. Watching Jem realize how much he loves Harriet is touching and hearing him beg her forgiveness is sweetly satisfying. The epilogue is sweet.

Also this week …

OBSESSION, by Karen Robards (2007, paperback) – 3-plus of 5. This is a welldone book, heavy on intrigue with interesting characters and a suspenseful plot. The romance, however, is rather understated. Still, it's there. And if you're in the mood for a lot of suspense with a dab of romance, this is the one to read. If you do want to read "Obsession" and you want to be totally surprised, stop here -- and definitely don't peek at the end of the book.
One night, Katharine is awakened by bad guys who beat her up looking for something she knows nothing about. She escapes and finds herself with a weird sort of amnesia ... or something.
Dan, a neighbor, becomes a pal and helps her flee the danger she senses is following her. Most of the book is about Katharine dealing with weird mind stuff, trying to figure out why she doesn't remember certain things, why she has certain feelings and why she feels like she's living in someone else's body. As a romance, it's rather weak. But as a good read, it's rather strong. It keeps you guessing and wondering.

UNDER THE BOARDWALK

POCKET BOOKS (1999), 469 pages, $7.99 (paperback)
“Under the Boardwalk” is an anthology headlined by Linda Howard, and a great book to read on or beyond the boardwalk.
Five short stories are combined in this book that’s reappearing on shelves for the summer reading season.
They’re all easy reads brimming with pure romance.
“Blue Moon,” by Howard is the story of a small-town sheriff who falls in love with a mysterious woman living alone in the woods by a river. Mysterious circumstances bring them together during a stormy night, but there is nothing mysterious about the passion and love they find at first sight.
“Castaway,” by Geralyn Dawson is a familiar plot, reuniting a couple who married young but was torn apart by a well-meaning father. Years later, Hannah seeks out Drew on his deserted island to ask for a favor. Drew is not happy to see the woman who annulled their marriage….or is he?
“Ruined,” by Jillian Hunter, has Sydney finding the man of her dreams after being shipwrecked with friends. Rylan is OK with that role, but there is one small problem: Sydney is engaged to marry a duke. This one gets a bit weird at the end, but it’s OK.
“Buried Treasure,” by Miranda Jarrett may be the weakest of the five stories, but fans of her series on the Fairbournes may enjoy the tie-in with this story. Miriam is set to do the rational thing and marry a boring, but reliable man. Then her true love, Jack, shows up, returning after years of pirating. He’s determined to win her back. She’s determined to resist. But no one can resist love.
“Swept Away,” by Mariah Stewart, puts Jeremy and Jody at the beach for an idyllic vacation – where they both consummate the love and passion they have for each other. Not much tension or mystery here, but Stewart does manage a good ending.




Overall rating: 4 of 5 hearts. These timeless stories are perfect beach or pool reads. Nothing but sweet, pure romance.

Hunk appeal: 10. It was about the best they could all do in the short number of pages they had. Brody (“Blue Moon”) was trusting and understanding; Drew (“Castaway”) tender and forgiving; Rylan (“Ruined”) dark and protective; Jack (“Buried Treasure”) dashing and determined; Jeremy (“Swept Away”) loving and dependable.

Steamy scene grade: XXX. Again, only so many pages.

Happily-Ever-After: Good. All ended well, if not a bit rushed.

Also this week …

WAITING FOR NICK and CONSIDERING KATE, by Nora Roberts (2008, paperback) – 5 of 5. These older stories (1997, 2001) have just been re-released in a two-for-one offer. These were sequels of Roberts’ beloved Stanislaski series. “Waiting for Nick,” is the story of Natasha and Spence's oldest daughter, Freddie and Nick LeBeck, whom we met in "Falling for Rachel" as Rachel’s’ brother-in-law. Freddie falls for Nick at age 13, in "Falling for Rachel," and waits until age 24 to make her move. It freaks Nick out at first, but eventually he realizes that he's loved Freddie for a long time, too.
Kate is Natasha and Spence’s youngest daughter, who at age 25 and returns home after a successful dancing career and in “Considering Kate” embarks on her own romance with the handsome carpenter in town, a widower with a precocious 6-year-old. (Like mother, like daughter.)

OVERNIGHT MALE

HQN (2008), 330 pages, $6.99 (paperback)
Sift through paragraphs that take too long to set up the story, the sentences that do little to move the story along, and you’ll find the bones of a good story.
You just have to muddle through that sifting.
The opening scene is a good example: It takes 54 pages and three chapters for the hero and heroine to be introduced and to set up their assignment. That was roughly 52 pages too long.
The gist of the story is a good one. Super spy legend Lila’s mission is to capture super bad guy Adrian, who actually turns out to be a better hunk than Joel, unfortunately.
Lila is partnered with geeky Joel, who is more of a researcher than an agent, on the assignment which takes to her a small college where she poses as a student.
Lila and Joel’s search for Adrian is the weak link here, and it would have been much better if more pages were devoted to their relationship, than the pursuit of a man determined to take control of the planet – and who engages a team of geeky, annoying college students to help him do so.
Those who read “You’ve Got Male” and “Express Male” when they first were released three years ago, will be happy to catch glimpses of the characters from those books. (Even if the glimpse of Marnie from “Express Male” is very fleeting. And even if you have to do all that sifting.)
The ending is a bit surprising and a bit different from most good-guys-chasing-bad-guy stories. And it’s the best part of the book.


Overall rating: 2-plus of 5 hearts. It gets a bit of a nudge because of its good ending. Unfortunately, you have to muddle through 300 pages to get there. The idea is good, the heroine intriguing, but Lila never really lives up to her reputation. And Joel just comes across as inept – most of the time.


Hunk appeal: 10-minus. Again, after besting super-spy Lila in the opening scene, Joel just comes across as inept – most of the time. His position on relationships is cool, and he says the right thing – most of the time. But he just comes up short – most of the time.

Steamy scene grade: XXXX. But not all of the time.

Happily-Ever-After: Very good, especially for those who read “You’ve Got Male” three years ago. Very interesting finish for the “bad guys” and our couple is set for their happily-ever-after.


Also this week …

BODY LANGUAGE, by Suzanne Brockmann (1998, paperback) – 5 of 5. This pure-romance by Brockmann recently has been re-released, and will have tears streaming down your face. Bad-boy McCade rides his motorcycle into town intent on letting his best friend, Sandy, know he realized he loves her. But before he does, Sandy tells him she’s found the love of her life. McCade tries to help Sandy land the guy, but love gets in the way. Once they pledge themselves to each other, they still have a few bumps (this is where the tears will fall) to get over before they can enjoy their happily-ever-after. There is no intrigue here, no mystery, just 100 percent pure, have-the-tissues-handy romance.

THIGH HIGH

SIGNET (2008), 383 pages, $7.99 (paperback)
The setting is what readers will really fall in love with in “Thigh High.”
New Orleans comes alive in this contemporary story by Christina Dodd, and even if you’ve never crossed Bourbon Street or walked along the French Quarter, you’ll find yourself wanting to be there.
Nessa is a native of New Orleans, growing up in an historic house as a member of an historic family. Her two 80-something aunts are beloved eccentrics who define the city as much as Mardis Gras and gumbo.
Nessa is a friendly, honest woman who works in a bank managed by an aggravating, manipulative and less than honest woman. During Mardis Gras each year, other branches of her bank are robbed by costumed, eccentric robbers, who only ask for small amounts of money.
The bank owner isn’t nearly as amused as many of New Orleans’ residents.
That owner, Mac, decides to come to New Orleans to investigate the robberies – incognito. And since Nessa is his No. 1 suspect, he tags her to assist him in the investigation.
His suspicion of her is the problem.
Of course, Mac falls for Nessa. And vice versa. But Mac never relinquishes his suspicion of Nessa, never trusts her – and never reveals his identity.
Mac had ample opportunity to rescue Nessa from her nasty boss, to ease her anxiety and be a 10-plus hero. But he never did, at least not until the very end. In fact several times, he was the source of her sadness and anxiety.
And for one short period of time he was quite unforgivably nasty to her.
But he learned that you don’t mess with genteel, weathered Southern ladies. Especially a protective 100-year-old housekeeper who knows how to twist ears.
The story is humorous, thanks mostly to those genteel, weathered Southern ladies. There’s a bit of mystery to it, and Nessa is so likeable that you want her to get her man. You just might find yourself wishing a time or two that it wasn’t Mac she wanted.




Overall rating: 3-plus of 5 hearts. Nessa and her loveable and eccentric supporting cast are enough to make this a worthy read. But Dodd does an exceptional job taking readers to New Orleans, and that’s what will make you glad you read “Thigh High.” As for the romance? Good enough, although there are a couple of drawbacks there.


Hunk appeal: 10-minus. Speaking of drawbacks….Mac definitely has his rough spots, and there are times he makes readers very angry. He redeems himself somewhat at the end, but after some of his antics there just isn’t enough groveling to pull him up all the way. Some readers may not like the way Mac worked his way through college. Although Nessa didn’t seem to mind.

Steamy scene grade: XXXXX. Nessa definitely didn’t mind.

Happily-Ever-After: Good. Miss Maddy (the 100-year-old genteel Southern lady) makes Mac pay for his transgressions better than anyone. And he makes some pretty sweet declarations at the end.


Also this week …

BOSS MAN, by Diana Palmer (2005, paperback) – 3 of 5. This one is attached to Palmer’s series about the cowboys in Jacobsville. Blake Kemp is the town lawyer, a curmudgeonly sort who lost his first love years before. Violet is his secretary, and can’t understand the contempt her boss seems to hurl her way. Of course readers recognize it as a sign of true love, but it does take Kemp a while to begin treating Violet nicely. Mr. Romance he never becomes, but Violet seems to be happy by the end.