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Old School Romance From Avon to Zebra

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Tag: 2.5-star rating

2.5 star rating

wild western bride alsobrook sivavec

Historical Romance Review: Wild Western Bride by Rosalyn Alsobrook

Posted on May 8, 2023May 7, 2023 by Blue Falcon

Wild Western Bride by Rosalyn Alsobrook features an unconventional couple who form an unconventional family. It’s not a great romance, but Alsobrook fans should find it enjoyable. 2.5 Stars

Elusive as the Unicorn by Carole Mortimer

Category Romance: Elusive as the Unicorn by Carole Mortimer

Posted on March 1, 2023February 27, 2023 by IntrovertReader

Elusive as the Unicorn by Carole Mortimer is another mediocre romance that Harlequin publishers bafflingly honored with their so-called Award of Excellence. 2.5 Stars

raptures rendezvous

Historical Romance Review: Rapture’s Rendezvous by Cassie Edwards

Posted on November 28, 2022November 30, 2022 by Blue Falcon

Rapture’s Rendezvous is not one of Cassie Edwards’ bests. The characters vacillate between whiny and likable in this historical romance. 2.5 Stars

Bold Texas Embrace

Historical Romance Review: Bold Texas Embrace by Victoria Thompson

Posted on May 2, 2022November 10, 2022 by Blue Falcon

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

dakota flame sonya t pelton zebra

Historical Romance Review: Dakota Flame by Sonya T. Pelton

Posted on April 6, 2022November 10, 2022 by Blue Falcon

This review is of Dakota Flame, a standalone novel from July 1989 by Sonya T. Pelton. (Published by Zebra/Kensington). The book begins in Mankato, Minnesota, December 1862. 2.52 stars

my steadfast heart

Historical Romance Review: My Steadfast Heart by Jo Goodman

Posted on February 14, 2022November 10, 2022 by Jacqueline Diaz

There are some good elements in My Steadfast Heart, but the laborious writing style Ms. Goodman uses and the overall complexity of the story brings the grade down a bit. 2.57 stars.

lovers touch

Category Romance Review: Lovers Touch by Penny Jordan

Posted on January 28, 2022November 10, 2022 by IntrovertReader

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

texas fire

Historical Romance Review: Texas Fire by Caroline Bourne

Posted on December 2, 2021March 16, 2023 by Blue Falcon

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

the lord of hawkfell island

Historical Romance Review: The Lord of Hawkfell Island by Catherine Coulter

Posted on October 1, 2021November 10, 2022 by IntrovertReader

In The Lord of Hawkfell Island by Catherine Coulter Mirana is a young, unmarried woman who lives with her brother in a massive fortress. When he’s away, their home is attacked by Viking raiders seeking vengeance against him, as the Viking leader Rorik blames him for the death of his wife and child. Usually, a hero grieving over his lost love is grounds for me to dislike a historical romance, but thanks to Rurik, I had plenty of other reasons to despise this “love story.” 2 1/2 stars

Virginia Vixen

Historical Romance Review: Virginia Vixen by Kay McMahon

Posted on August 26, 2021April 19, 2023 by Blue Falcon

This review is of Virginia Vixen by Kay McMahon. Published in May 1989, this book is part of a series connected to four other books by Ms. McMahon. The book begins in Williamsburg, Virginia, circa 1774. Rebecca Wilde, a reporter for the Virginia Gazette and the heroine of the book, is investigating the murder of a slave who was a childhood friend of hers. Arriving at the same time is Alec Stone, the hero of the book, who has come to Virginia from England for two purposes; to find his father’s identity and to investigate the disappearance of one of his employees. 2 1/2 stars

tangled-tapestry-mather-full

Category Romance Review: Tangled Tapestry by Anne Mather

Posted on August 18, 2021November 16, 2022 by IntrovertReader

Anne Mather’s Tangled Tapestry is a1969 Mills and Boon that may offend some readers’ sensibilities. Or, if you’re twisted like me, make you laugh! 2.5 Stars

Sunday kind of love

Category Romance Review: Sunday Kind of Love By Lois Faye Dyer

Posted on July 28, 2021November 10, 2022 by IntrovertReader

Lois Faye Dyer, who would go on to produce numerous Special Edition romances for Silhouette Books, was one Kismet’s more prolific writers. Her romance Sunday Kind of Love is book #2 in a series about 4 siblings. 2 1/2 stars

Whisper to the Stars

Category Romance Review: Whisper to the Stars by Hettie Grimstead

Posted on July 19, 2021April 19, 2023 by arkansasannie

Whisper to the Stars is a vintage-contemporary romance that revolves around a trope hard to find nowadays: unrequited love. It starts out strong, with the promise of a deeply moving emo story. And it delivers, up to a point. Then it falters. Somewhere in the middle, it loses sight of what a romance is supposed to do: to engage and enthrall the reader. 2 1/2 stars

cherish tomorrow

Category Romance Review: Trust in Tomorrow (aka Cherish Tomorrow) by Carole Mortimer

Posted on June 4, 2021November 10, 2022 by IntrovertReader

Harlequin Presents # 804 What can I say about Carole Mortimer’s Trust in Tomorrow (originally published as Cherish Tomorrow in the US & Canada)? Sadly, that I wasn’t really feeling this one. The romance aspect of the book was fine, kind of adorable, actually, with a very young heroine, Chelsea, in pursuit of the much older hero, Lucas. She knows she wants her man and is willing to fight for him. I really wish Chelsea and Lucas could have had a better plot to go along with their romance. The romance was fine, but it was the story that had me going, huh?

Lightning that lingers

Category Romance Review: Lightning That Lingers by Sharon and Tom Curtis

Posted on June 3, 2021November 10, 2022 by IntrovertReader

Lightning That Lingers by Sharon and Tom Curtis. It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve come across, not by any means. But neither was it was I’d call an enjoyable book. Lightning That Lingers by Sharon and Tom Curtis has received acclaim from many readers. By no means was this a terrible piece of fiction, but I found it didn’t mesh with my personal tastes. It was…not subtle. 2 1/2 stars

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Sweet Savage Flame has reviewed 39 books so far this year out of 100.

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