TBD Archives

Historical Romance Review: Bold Texas Embrace by Victoria Thompson

May 2, 2022May 21, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Bold Texas Embrace, #4 in the “The Cowboy and the Lady” series by Victoria Thompson (Zebra/Kensington December 1989). It is my least favorite book in the series. 2.66 stars Read more

2 stars and a half, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Romance, year 1989, Zebra Lovegram

Category Romance Review: Beloved Deceiver by Flora Kidd

March 29, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Flora Kidd's Beloved Deceiver still sticks out in my mind for one big reason. It's the only Harlequin/Mills-and-Boon I've read to feature a hero from the Dominican Republic, which is my parents' birth country. 3.45 stars Read more

3 stars and a half, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, year 1988

Historical Romance Review: Rebel Vixen by Dana Ransom

March 26, 2022May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

In Dana Ransom's Zebra Heartfire romance, Rebel Vixen a Southern woman and Northern soldier find love during the Civil War. As the Civil War rages throughout the United States, Miss Savannah Russell is on a ship in the Caribbean where she saves a Yankee sailor's life. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Dana Ransom, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, year 1987, Zebra Heartfire

Category Romance Review: Could It Be Magic by Gina Wilkins

March 23, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Gina Wilkins' Could It Be Magic is a comfy romance read. It's a sensually-charged Harlequin Temptation from the early 1990s. Gwen DeClerck is a staid, young widow, who had been married to a man twice her age. When Jeremy Kane, a famous magician moves next door, he turns her stable world upside down with excitement and passion. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Temptation, Romance, year 1989

Historical Romance Review: Yankee Mistress by Ashley Snow

March 21, 2022May 21, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Yankee Mistress a standalone from May 1989 by Ashley Snow, published by Zebra/Kensington as a Zebra Heartfire. 1 star Read more

1 star, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Romance, year 1989, Zebra Heartfire

Category Romance Review: Lovers Touch by Penny Jordan

January 28, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Whenever I see an "Award of Excellence" ribbon on a Harlequin-published romance, I know I'm in for a mediocre read. For me, Penny Jordan is an author who's all over the place. One book can be great, another full of crazy-sauce, others on the blah side. Sadly, her Lover's Touch is kind of blah. The two protagonists are kept apart by big misunderstandings and lack of communication, which is never fun. 2.5 stars Read more

2 stars and a half, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Penny Jordan, Romance, year 1989

Category Romance Review: Woman Hater by Diana Palmer

January 22, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Woman Hater (what a title!) by Diana Palmer is a 1987 Silhouette romance that seems to be typical of the author's style. The heroine is young, virginal, and escaping from a tragic past. The hero is a macho, Alpha male, who is also burned by the past, which makes him a "woman-hater." 3 stars Read more

3 stars, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Diana Palmer, Romance, Silhouette, Silhouette Romance, year 1987

Category Romance Review: Guarded Moments by JoAnn Ross

January 18, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

JoAnn Ross's Harlequin Temptation, Guarded Moments, introduces us to the princess Montcroix, the haughty Chantal Giraudeau. It's up to Special Agent Caine O'Bannion to be on call as Chantal's bodyguard. 3.59 stars Read more

3 stars and a half, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Temptation, Romance, year 1990

Category Romance Review: Hard To Get by Carole Mortimer

January 13, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Oh boy, when I read "the heroine in pursuit plot" synopsis for this Harlequin Presents, was I ever excited to read it. Heroines who are determined to get their men are my favorite kinds! Alas, when the object of said pursuit is a mean arsehole, the chase isn't worth it. Still, Hard to Get by Carole Mortimer was a wild, emotional whirlwind. With a more charismatic hero, I could have loved this as opposed to liking it. 3.62 stars Read more

3 stars and a half, Book Review, Carole Mortimer, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Romance, year 1984

Historical Romance Review: The Wild One by Danelle Harmon

January 11, 2022May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Danelle Harmon's Georgian-era historical romance series of four brothers and one sister begins with The Wild One. Lord Gareth de Montforte is one of the younger sons of the de Montforte clan. His eldest brother is a Duke. Another of his older brothers, Charles, was a soldier who went to fight in the Americas and is presumed dead. The family will soon find that particular brother has left behind some unchecked baggage that they will have to deal with. 1.85 stars Read more

2 stars, Avon, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Romance, year 1997

Category Romance Review: Guilty Love by Charlotte Lamb

January 4, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Charlotte Lamb's Harlequin Presents romance Guilty Love is so crazy and full of over-the-top drama. I loved every wild moment of it. As always, YMMV, although this sort of book is right up my alley. But a word of warning: it handles a dark subject that may cause readers some discomfort. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Book Review, Category romance, Charlotte Lamb, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Romance, year 1994

Historical Romance Review: Desert Slave by Miranda North

January 3, 2022May 21, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Desert Slave, a standalone novel by Miranda North. On the trip Juliette is kidnapped by Bedouin pirates. She is later given to Deric Raleigh. (Zebra Heartfire, May 1989). 2.71 stars. Read more

3 stars, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Romance, year 1989, Zebra Heartfire

Historical Romance Review: Texas Blonde by Victoria Thompson

December 27, 2021May 21, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Texas Blonde, book #3 in the “The Lady and the Cowboy” series by Victoria Thompson. (Zebra/Kensington, October 1987). This review is of the ebook version. 4.87 stars Read more

5 stars, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Romance, year 1987, Zebra Lovegram

Category Romance Review: The Jade Affair by Madeline Harper

November 10, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Madeline Harper's The Jade Affair happens to be one of my top Harlequin Temptations due to its engaging reunited lovers' plotline. The chemistry between the protagonists is fantastic as they play detectives to find some missing jade artifacts. 4 1/2 stars Read more

4 stars and a half, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Temptation, Romance, year 1990

Category Romance Review: Shadows on the Moon by Peggy Gaddis

August 10, 2021May 2, 2022 arkansasannie No Comments

Peggy Gaddis was a big name in mid-century genre fiction. Gaddis is credited with almost 300 works under a dozen names (that I know of). Her fortes include contemporary category romance novels; Shadows on the Moon is one example. First published as a hardcover by Arcadia House in 1960, it has been reprinted several times and on both sides of the pond. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Magnum Books, Romance, Vintage romance

Category Romance Review: Nelson’s Brand by Diana Palmer

June 9, 2021June 17, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Nelson's Brand was my first and, so far, only foray into Diana Palmer's little corner of Romancelandia. Palmer has got a bit of a reputation in the genre as an author of ultra-macho, hairy-chested heroes and virginal, too-stupid-to-live heroines. 2 stars Read more

2 stars, Book Review, Category romance, Category Romance Review, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Silhouette, Silhouette Desire, year 1991

Contemporary Romance Review: Gypsy by Carole Mortimer

April 30, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Widowed and pregnant Shay returns to the home of her former lover, her dead husband's brother, Lyon Falconer. Lyon's still married, though. Will Shay and Lyon reignite their affair? Read more

3 stars, Book Review, Carole Mortimer, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin

Historical Romance Review: Stolen Spring by Louisa Rawlings

April 17, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

France and Versailles under the reign of Louis XIV was a decadent, lavish era, and Louisa Rawlings captures it perfectly in Stolen Spring. 4 1/2 stars Read more

4 stars and a half, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Popular Library, Sylvia Halliday, Warner Books, year 1988

Historical Romance: Passion’s Proud Captive by Melissa Hepburne

April 8, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Passion's Proud Captive by Melissa Hepburne is not a book for modern readers, but it's tailor-made to suit my tastes. A hilarious bodice ripper! 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, year 1978

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