Unwrapping a Review of VISCOUNT OF VICE, a Covent Garden Cub novella by Shana Galen

I’ve been reading Shana Galen’s wonderful stories for some time now and have watched her grow into a first-class author of historical romance. With the Jewels of the Ton series, she made me a die-hard fan. The novella, VISCOUNT OF VICE is her transition story from this amazing series to the brand new Coven Garden Cubs series and well, she’s done it again. I’m hooked.

***purchased for my own personal reading but sharing my honest and unscripted review

Blurb for VISCOUNT OF VICE:

This sparkling novella introduces award-winning author Shana Galen's brand new series, Covent Garden Cubs. Galen mixes London's glittering ballrooms with the gritty underworld in her exciting new Regency romance series.

Whispers and secrets are no match for love...

Henry Flynn, the new Lord Chesham, still blames himself for the disappearance of his younger brother when they were children. That incident destroyed his family, and now he's on a path of self-destruction that no one can interrupt...

Lady Emma Talbot can't stand watching the man she secretly loves destroy himself little by little. She's determined to show him that no one holds him culpable, before it's too late. But Emma doesn't know what really happened to Flynn on that fateful day long ago, so what chance does she have of saving him from himself? 

~*~             ~*~             ~*~             ~*~

Henry Flynn carries guilt like other men carry confidence. With no wish to believe himself deserving of anyone or anything grand, he does his best to drown his sorrows in drink and live up to the name of Viscount of Vice. The darling Emma Talbot believes him to be one of the best men, if he’d ever take a moment to notice her. When Henry is finally reunited with his long lost brother, Matthew, his guilt over his brother’s state threatens to pull him even deeper into a state of deserving nothing good in his life. Emma is determined to help him see the error of that thinking, and save him from himself.

We first met Flynn in the Jewels of the Ton series and Emma is the sister of the Duke of Ravenscroft from SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND. Emma has been in love with Flynn for years but always felt like she went completely unnoticed by the handsome man. When she comes of age, she gains Henry’s notice but now she feels it’s too late because he is steeped in his own wallowing guilt. What she doesn’t realize is that Henry has always noticed her, and lusts for her.

I liked Emma a lot. She’s not the average young lady of the ton looking simply to marry a wealthy man of title. She’s got an independent nature and enjoys her volunteer work at the hospital. We are introduced to an element of mystery, which I suspect will carry through into the series, when Emma and Flynn are pulled away to Bath and become embroiled in a dramatic rescue surrounding his brother. It was rather delightful to have the setting take us out of London to the sleepy town where a dark side is revealed. I don’t wish to tell you more for it would be too easy to reveal the whole story.

I highly recommend reading VISCOUNT OF VICE by Shana Galen as it is driven by action from the first pages to the last - some funny things happen too. If you’ve read the Jewels of the Ton, you most certainly will thrill to Flynn and Emma’s story and be left wanting more in the Covent Garden Cubs series which leads off with the full length, EARLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, already available and on my reading list.

If you haven’t experienced the exciting stories of lords and ladies, spies, and bow runners conjured by Shana Galen, then get your first taste with VISCOUNT OF VICE…you’ll be hooked forever.

Happy Reading Everyone!

VISCOUNT OF VICE, a Covent Garden Cubs novella by Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

QUIZ FUN with Grace Burrowes, Shana Galen, & Katie MacAlister! Which Type of Historical Romance Heroine Are You? #Giveaway

To celebrate their upcoming releases, August 5, 2014, authors Grace Burrowes, Katie MacAlister, and Shana Galen would love to invite you to take their historical romance quiz. The quiz written by the authors, will let you discover if you are ROYALTY, an OPERATIVE, or a MEMBER OF A RETINUE.  

There’s also a fabulous Giveaway to enter for a chance at dozens of great books following the quiz, so be sure to check it out. The Giveaway ends August 10, 2014 so feel free to tell your friends. Have Fun!  

Quiz: Which Type of Historical Romance Heroine Are You?

#1 What word best describes you?

a) effervescent

b) nonconfrontational (mostly) 

c) stealthy

#2 My favorite hobby is ...

a) comparative study of the male form

b) looking after my darling baron   

c) target practice 

#3 What is the perfect late night snack?

a) bread, cheese, meats, lemon tarts … whatever can be liberated from the kitchen

b) the baron's kisses

c) ratafia, shaken not stirred

#4 My ideal man must have ...

a) a sublime derriere

b) an aptitude for growing hardy, contrary flowers 

c) brains

#5 What accessory do you never leave home without?

a) my corset (large bosoms are such a trial)

b) my composure 

c) my pistol

***

If you chose mostly As ... then you are as sparkling and resourceful as Her Serene Royal Highness Dagmar from The Truth About Leo by Katie MacAlister. Dagmar may have been raised in a strictly formal manner, but she’s never let that stop her from pursuing anything that catches her interest. She’s a bit quirky, marches to her own drummer, and has a fine, fine appreciation of the manly form.

If you chose mostly Bs … then you are clearly the stuff a baroness is made of, much like Millicent, from The Traitor. Milly is sweet, fierce, determined, and brave but slow to trust. Sebastian, Baron St. Clair, is ALSO sweet, fierce, determined and brave, and relentless when it comes to protecting those he cares for. Alas for both Sebastian and Milly, an enemy stalks them who is not sweet. By the time Milly is done with Sebastian's enemies, they are not very brave either. So if you chose mostly B's, the bad guys better steer mighty clear of you!

If you chose mostly Cs … then you are equipped to be a master spy like Jane Bonde from Love and Let Spy by Shana Galen. Jane is smart, cunning, and loyal, but she has her weaknesses too. Her latest weakness goes by the name Dominic Griffyn. Planning a wedding and defeating a villain intent upon the destruction of England is tricky, but if you're the sort who multitasks easily, then you too have Jane's unique skills and panache.

So which are you? 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 THE TRAITOR by Grace Burrowes, Sourcebooks Casablanca, releasing August 5, 2014 in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

LOVE AND LET SPY by Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, releasing August 5, 2014 in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

THE TRUTH ABOUT LEO by Katie MacAlister, Sourcebooks Casablanca, releasing August 5, 2014 in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or covers below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale help keep this blog alive so please use my links. Thank you.

 

Unwrapping a Review of SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL'S BEST FRIEND, a Jewels of the Ton novel by Shana Galen

I fell in love with the Jewels of the Ton Trilogy by Shana Galen after reading WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND. I knew from that moment, I would not rest until I’d read all three and learned the identity of the person selling the names of the Diamonds in the Rough. SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND by Shana Galen is a splendid finish to an extraordinary trilogy.

***I purchased this one for my own reading because I missed out on the galley and just had to read it! Of course, I have to share my honest and unscripted review with you.

Blurb for SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND:

She Wants Him...
She Wants Him Not...

Lily Dawson, dubbed the Countess of Charm by the Prince Regent himself, plays the role of the courtesan flawlessly while her real purpose is spying in the service of the Crown. Her mission now is to seduce a duke to test his true loyalties. She'll do it, even though the man she really wants is Andrew Booth-Payne, Earl of Darlington—the duke's son.

Andrew is furious when he finds himself rivaling his father for Lily's attention. When he uncovers Lily's mission, Andrew is faced with impossible choices. It seems he is destined to betray either his family, his country, or the longings of his own heart...

*                   *                    *                   *                   *

Asked by Warrick Fitzhugh to investigate the loyalty of the Duke of Ravenscroft and if he was whom Fitzhugh believed, the notorious Artemis the Assassin, find the proof. Lily Dawson, the last remaining unattached member of the Three Diamonds was embarking on a mission that might cost her more than her lost reputation and her precarious place in society if she falls prey to Artemis or Lucifer – it might cost her life.

Andrew, the Earl of Darlington, or as he’s known in London – the Darling of the Ton – is determined to make sure the courtesan – the Countess of Charm – Lily Dawson does not manage a proposal from his father, the Duke of Ravenscroft. Fearing such carelessness on his father’s part may destroy his family’s reputation and mar the sacred memory of his dead mother he confronts Lily, and orders her to stay away from his father. When she flatly refuses and starts to make a scene, he kisses her mouth shut, which starts a need and desire for her on his part that confuses and angers him. Vying for the affections of a well-known fallen woman while competing against his own father is most certainly, not what Andrew wishes for himself, or his family, but he’s beginning to see Lily in a new light and soon discovers she's not all she appears to be.

SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND, book three of the Jewels of the Ton series by Shana Galen is the perfect ending to a fabulous series. Even though it wasn’t my favorite of the three books, that's reserved for Fallon's story, Andrew and Lily were worth the wait. Shana kept me seeking a contented happily-ever-after for them even as they argued, questioned each other’s motives and activities, wandered in the woods and rain, getting muddy, wet, and nearly killed even as they slowly began to trust each other.

Shana Galen is brilliant at making us fall in love with her characters, their stories, their pains, heartaches, and triumphs. Each of the Three Diamonds had a story of sacrifice, romance, and intrigue built around the beautiful woman’s secret and the man who would come to know the truth about the notorious courtesan. Lily’s story is no different in that respect except that her story may have the darkest most heart-aching secret of the three women. Not as action-driven from the beginning as IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY. Or as banter and teaser driven as WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND. But honestly, SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND is perfection in that it satisfactorily resolves the mystery of Lucifer and Artemis, while allowing Lily the chance to win Darlington’s love that has gone unrequited for far too long.

I highly recommend reading SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND, book three of the Jewels of the Ton series by Shana Galen especially if you’ve read the first two but even if you haven’t. I believe that this fabulous trilogy should be read in its proper order, but if you truly don’t have the opportunity to do so, go ahead and start here or anywhere, but do read them all eventually. You won’t be sorry - you’ll just fall in love.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND, a Jewels of the Ton novel by Shana Galen, Sourcebook Casablanca, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Unwrapping: Review of IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY by Shana Galen

Did you read WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND by Shana Galen as I recommended back in August? You did? Fabulous - then you're going to want to continue the mystery in IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY with Fallon and Warrick Fitzhugh. If you haven't read the first book in the Jewels of the Ton series featuring the stories of three fabulous courtesans of London known as the Diamonds, then you most certainly should.

***eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY:

Her Mysterious Past Is The Best Revenge . . .

Fallon, the Marchioness of Mystery, is a celebrated courtesan with her finger on the pulse of high society. She’s adored by men, hated by their wives. No one knows anything about her past, and she plans to keep it that way.

Only He Can Offer Her A Dazzling Future . . .

Warrick Fitzhugh will do anything to protect his compatriots in the Foreign Office, including seduce Fallon, who he thinks can lead him to the deadliest crime lord in London. He knows he’s putting his life on the line . . .

To Warrick’s shock, Fallon is not who he thinks she is, and the secrets she’s keeping are exactly what make her his heart’s desire . . .

                                              *                          *                        *                         *                         *

Fallon, the Marchioness of Mystery has managed to keep her past, her true identity, and her greatest secret to herself, with the exception of the Countess Sinclair, until she enters her bedchamber to find a man lounging on her bed. Now, the question isn't how to preserve her secrets, but how to keep from succumbing to this man of mystery. A man who claims to know who she truly is and who plans to use the information as blackmail if she refuses to assist him in a most dangerous endeavor.

Warrick Fitzhugh has a price on his head, just as do the remaining Diamonds in the Rough - a group of men who have sworn their lives and their duty to their country as spies. Having promised his queen that he will find the person or persons who are selling the names of these honorable men so that they may be killed off one by one, Warrick has discovered that the courtesan, Fallon, is in reality the daughter of the man who wants him dead - Maggie Bayley. His information correct, he drags Fallon back into a world she had managed to escape once - barely.  But once her interest is sparked with the knowledge that her father still lives, Warrick is confronted with not the task of how to get her to work with him but how to protect her from danger, and himself.

The mystery of who wants the Diamonds in the Rough dead, which began in WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND, continues full force in IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY.  Shana Galen takes us into the darkest recesses of London, into a world of depravity that shocks and intrigues, and into danger that nearly costs our hero and his heroine their lives. Action driven from the very beginning, IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY by Shana Galen is a historical romance at its best. It's intriguing, exciting, mysterious, sexy, and carries us to a romantic happily ever after, while leaving us primed and ready for the next installment.

I highly recommend IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY by Shana Galen to anyone who loves an action-packed historical romance that takes you from the ballrooms to dangerous carriage chases, nerve-wracking hints of danger to near death battles, steamy tête-à-têtes in dark places that will have you fanning yourself, and a declaration of love and family acceptance that will leave you sighing. All of this while being led in the direction of the final installment which will hopefully resolve the mystery once and for all. If you haven't read WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND, I do recommend reading it before IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY, as it is a continuous mystery that will be better understood if these books are read in order.

Happy Reading Everyone!

IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY, a Jewels of the Ton novel by Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, release date March 5, 2013 in print, ebook and audiobook formats. 

                                                                                           

Unwrapping: Review of WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND by Shana Galen

WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND - awesome title, don't you think? I thought so and that was why I was very excited about receiving an ARC from Shana Galen to read and review. I hoped I was going to be in for a ride and she didn't disappoint me. Release date: September 1, 2012.
**ARC received in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND:

He had a perfectly orderly life...

William, the sixth Duke of Pelham, enjoys his punctual, securely structured life. Orderly and predictable—that's the way he likes it. But he's in the public eye, and the scandal sheets will make up anything to sell papers. When the gossip papers link him to Juliette, one of the most beautiful and celebrated courtesans in London, chaos doesn't begin to describe what happens next...

Until she came along...

Juliette is nicknamed the Duchess of Dalliance and has the cream of the nobility at her beck and call. It's disruptive to have the duke who is the biggest catch on the Marriage Mart scaring her other suitors away. Then she discovers William's darkest secret and decides what he needs in his life is the kind of excitement only she can provide...

                  *                       *                         *                        *                       *

Juliette may be known as one of a trio of the finest courtesans in London but things aren't always what they seem. She's accustomed to notoriety but when she opens the Morning Chronicle to find she's been linked with the Dangerous Duke of Pelham, she's not sure what to make of it or if she wants to be for he's not the friendliest of sorts, hence his nickname. Upon their first meeting, he proves himself to be all she had originally thought - rude, obstinate, arrogant and the most incredibly handsome man she'd ever seen.

Wil - Pelham or his grace to everyone else but Juliette - lives a life of strict regimen. He rises at the same time each day, eats meals at the same time every day, and does nothing spontaneously - ever - that is, until he meets the most incredible and spontaneous woman ever, the notorious Duchess of Dalliance, Juliette. On the cusp of his marriage to a woman he doesn't love but is willing to accept, the last thing he expects is to become entangled in a mystery involving one of the notorious Diamonds - London's most celebrated courtesans. Now, he's not sure of anything or anyone much less his own feelings about his past, his present, or his future. All he knows for sure is that his fiancée is missing - dead by Juliette's declaration. He's sure there's a dangerous man by the name of Lucifer who is endangering Juliette and himself. And he's totally sure and distracted by his attraction to Juliette which threatens to be his greatest undoing.

WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND by Shana Galen carries the reader on a delightful roller coaster of emotional ups and downs that keep you wondering if this pair will ever have a happily-ever-after. Shana Galen has a unique talent for doing this in her wonderful books and this historical romance is no different.

However, when I first started reading this regency romance, I wasn't totally sure I was going to enjoy myself. It was difficult to endear myself to the characters but that soon changed almost instantaneously as we left the ballroom. Pelham is stuffy and arrogant. He's totally unlikable and then suddenly, you start to see the twinkle develop in his eye. A twinkle brought on by a woman who, at first glance, seemed cold and unwilling to allow herself to feel anything for a man but who quickly comes to life and is soon as warm as the brilliance contained inside the most beautiful diamond for which she's named. I quickly fell in love with these characters. I was equally enamoured of the supporting characters especially the Countess Sinclair.  I'm very much looking forward to the rest of this series for, as usual, Shana Galen has me hooked - completely and desperately.

I highly recommend WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND by Shana Galen. This historical romance will have you smiling, frowning, grumbling, and then cheering! For WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND is romance at its best and most sensually charged.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Also, if you're interested in learning more about what it's like to be an Avon Addict for Avon Romance, check out my interview on the Happy Ever After Blog at USA Today Online:
YOU, TOO, CAN BE AN AVON ADDICT -- AND GET FREE BOOKS

WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND by Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, release date - September 1, 2012, available in print and ebook format.

                                                                

Unwrapping: Review of THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen

I adore a good swashbuckler story! This is the one I was just finishing up when I asked you on Wacky Wednesday about what kind of heroine you would like to exchange places with if you could. I would love to step into Raeven Russell's shoes for even a short time and spend a day with Bastien Cutlass!
THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen is the third in the Sons of Revolution Trilogy. I'd read the first two and so when Shana first offered ARCs of this seriously awaited novel, I was clamouring for the opportunity but only recently was she able to send me one. I immediately started reading it even though I was already knee deep in another. It was well worth the late nights.

Blurb for THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE:

Revenge should be sweet, but it may cost him everything...

The Marquis de Valère escaped certain death in the French Revolution and is now an infamous privateer. Out to avenge the death of his mentor, Bastien discovers himself astonishingly out of his depth when confronted with a beautiful, daring young woman who is out for his blood...

Forgiveness is unthinkable, but it may be her only hope...

British Admiral's daughter Raeven Russell believes Bastien responsible for her fiancé's death. But once the fiery beauty crosses swords with Bastien, she's not so sure she really wants him to change his wicked ways...

                 *                 *                *                *                *                 *

Raeven Russell is the daughter of an Admiral. She's lived nearly her entire life on the open seas. She fell in love with a captain in the Royal Navy but when that captain is murdered by a pirate that goes by the name of Captain Cutlass, she wants revenge and nothing will stop her from getting it - not even her father locking her in her cabin.

Bastien Cutlass is a privateer who has made the sea his mistress. Having lost his family to the atrocities committed under the name of freedom during the French Revolution, he has spent his life as a sailor and privateer. After his surrogate father is murdered by Jourdain, a once upon a time friend to him, he channels his every move toward hunting the man with the goal of exacting revenge.

Raeven and Bastien have more than the love of the sea in common. Raeven wants revenge on Bastien, Bastien wants revenge on Jourdain and both are trying to keep one step ahead of Admiral Russell. Raeven soon discovers that her fiancé's death was a mishap of battle and her desire for revenge on Bastien begins to wane as her attraction to him grows exponentially. Bastien's need for personal revenge on Jourdain remains steadfast but when the opportunity to see it through arrives, he makes the choice to save his ship and the woman who has begun to burrow her way into his heart instead. You'll soon find yourself asking the same questions Raeven puts to fate - will they find a way to stay together? Will Bastien find his family if they still survive? Will they ever admit their love for each other?

I thoroughly enjoyed the Sons of the Revolution Trilogy but I have to say that this final installment is by far the best and most adventurous. It brings the family together again which is touching and consoling for Bastien but sad for us, the readers. If you haven't read the first two books in the trilogy, please do but as much as I recommend you do, this one does very well as a stand alone. Of course, by the end, you'll be hunting down the others to learn their tales. 

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen is exciting, action-packed, thrilling, and a page turner from the very start. If you don't fall totally in love with Bastien then I'd definitely suggest you check to make sure your female card is up-to-date. I don't believe there is a woman alive who can resist this Charming Rogue Pirate!

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE is a swashbuckling adventure that takes historical romance to new heights. The heroine is tough, spirited and as skilled as any man yet soft and yielding to the only man who can fire the passions she never knew she had. The hero is a gentleman pirate who leads his men with loyalty, skill and a determination to meet his goals as well as bring them all home safely. Just as Raeven comes to admire Bastien for skills as a sea captain and defender of his ship and crew, so shall you. I highly recommend this wonderful historical romance that takes you on an ocean adventure that will have you cheering, swooning, and even shedding a tear as Raeven and Bastien experience pirate life together.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, available now in print and ebook format.