Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas features one of her most beloved characters, Derek Craven. Derek was previously seen in Then Came You, whose reserved hero, Alex Raiford, was more to my liking. This is a wonderful romance by the talented Kleypas where two people from contrasting social classes come together in love. 4 stars
Kristin Hannah is a successful author of women’s fiction. It’s fortunate she found success in that genre because her romances I’ve encountered are–sad to say–lacking in excitement. When Lightning Strikes is a time travel romance that starts out promisingly but takes a boring turn into snoozeville with its drawn-out plot. This should have been a category-length romance of 190 pages not 400 pages long!
This review is of Texas Fire by Caroline Bourne. This book, published by Zebra/Kensington in March 1989, is the sequel to her book Texas Conquest. 2.5 stars
This review is of Sunset Temptation, a standalone novel by Jane Toombs. The stultifying boredom I felt reading it means no positive grade from me. 1.11 stars
In Crimson Obsession by Deana James, set in Victorian-era England, Cassandra seeks revenge against Edward Sandron for her family’s financial ruin. The story features a secondary romance and humorous elements. 3.5 Stars
This review is of Passion’s Bride, aka The Captain’s Lady by Jo Goodman. The book begins in 1809, where the fledgling American navy hopes to enlist the services of the pirate Alex Danty to help sink British ships. 4 stars
Dark Before the Rising Sun, is the last installment in the Laurie McBain trilogy that began with Moonstruck Madness. It is a direct continuation of its sequel, Chance the Winds of Fortune. 1 1/2 stars
Shannon’s Drake’s (aka Heather Graham) The King’s Pleasure is set amid the intense medieval backdrop of the Hundred Years’ War and the Black Death. It’s a solid romance in a historical age that always grips my attention. 4 stars
Paradise & More by Shirl Henke is memorable to me for having one of the most eye-catching covers in romance. A dazzling beauty by Pino Daeni, it features a fully naked couple in a glorious clinch, their nudity covered by some strategically placed flowers and the book’s title. Lamentably, I have a later reissue, the stepback version, where their nakedness is hidden under a respectable-looking cover. This is the first book in the House of Torres duo that takes place in late 1400s Spain. 3 & 1/2 stars
This review is of Kiss of the Night Wind, #3 in the “Western Wind” series by Janelle Taylor. Kiss of the Night Wind is a good book, but has too many issues to be great. 3.72 stars
