#millsandboonmodern

[danicollinsauthor]

A box of goodies today #authorcopies #millsandboonmodern https://www.instagram.com/p/Bto74McgZ7g/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=o5x3ipz4yox7

[suechild]

KEEPER SHELF REVIEW: The Innocent’s Secret Baby by Carol Marinelli

Gorgeous romance – emotional and evocative keeper!

The intense hero and heroine interaction of the first half--together with the intense conflict--held my attention and I didn’t want to put it down even then. Raul, the tortured hero, is gorgeous and yummy and I fell for him the same way Lydia does. The heroine, Lydia, is lovely and easy to identify with and root for.

Oh, and Rome!

Marinelli’s gorgeous voice is showcased to perfection; from how the love scenes are un-skippable and unique to the characters, and how they’re interwoven with emotion, conflict and characterisation; from the deep emotion and how the universal emotions experienced have to resonate at some level with the reader; and her unique take on conflict, and....

One of my pet peeves is where the hero and heroine are about to do or say something important. And are only prevented from doing so by interruption of the phone or another character arriving at a vital moment. I think heroes and heroines should decide to stop or not stop etc without the decision conveniently taken out of their hands to serve the dictates of plot. So I LOVED when the telephone isn’t allowed to interruptus and how Marinelli plays with it and then when it does, it doesn’t get in the way of their decisions/motivations.

Oh, and the Venice scenes sigh are romance personified. Atmospheric Venice, Murano glass, gondolas. Lydia and Raul’s romance matches the romance and sensuality and atmosphere of the setting and the one enhances the other.

One of only a couple of slight blips for me was SPOILER the discovery of the photograph of herself and Raul on the net delivered by her stepfather. This felt a bit of a Presents’ cliché (or classic depending on your viewpoint) but it does fit. And it is kept low key, even if a classic Presents key to be turned to detonate the relationship. END OF SPOILER

But this, and suspending my disbelief everso slightly over another crucial plot point, didn’t tarnish any of the stars of this five star plus read. Even when Lydia and Raul are apart it doesn’t affect the perfect pacing or fail to hold my attention, which was riveted on how they would be able to remake something so precious, their relationship beautifully embodied in the work of art that SPOILER got broken but was better because of it END OF SPOILER. If I haven’t already mentioned, I adored the deep emotion, characterisation and the uniqueness of their romance, and cried as Raul confronted his past, because of Lydia, and when they were mending their relationship.

Received from NetGalley & Harlequin, but I’m going to buy my own print copy for my keeper shelves once I’ve tracked down if Gabi and Salim get their own story. And what about Bastiano – who my heart has already broken a little bit for.

[suechild]

REVIEW:  Claiming the Royal Innocent by Jennifer Hayward

Starts off well with a lovely contemp/fresh vibe that maintains the Presents’ feel/tone.

Fab first meet where you can’t help but identify with Aleksandra. She and Aristos are apart for about 10 pages after this but the writing is compelling enough for it not to be an issue...here. 

Aristos starts out as a yummy alpha that being told not to get involved with the princess starts to chip away at. Aleksandra’s emotional conflict is, at times, hard to pin down and the intensity diluted. 

The royal court of Akathinia is entertaining and I’m looking forward to more in Carrying the King’s Pride.

3.5-3.75 stars

[suechild]

REVIEW:  THE SHOCK CASSANO BABY BY ANDIE BROCK

Engaging and fast-paced beginning with an empathisable-with heroine and Presents’ alpha male. Lots of lovely dialogue and the pacing of the first half is perfectly pitched.

The road to their Happy Ever After is paved with too many plot devices/elements where I’d have preferred it to have been more character-driven and for their emotional conflicts to be explored in more depth. Because of this, the ending is too busy and the hero’s emotional conflict resolution feels very rushed.

Four stars for the writer’s voice, compelling first half, setting, interaction and dialogue.

[suechild]

REVIEW:  ENGAGED TO HER RAVENSDALE ENEMY BY MELANIE MILBURNE

Romance is at the heart of this keeper-shelf Modern

A Melanie Milburne is a safe bet for me. I've always loved her books, and this totally delivered on my expectations and some.

I was immediately engaged by her writing, and immersed in the world of the lovable heroine and gorgeous hero. I loved the 3D characters, the personality in the characterisation that brings them to life, the sexual tension and the pacing is on point. 

I particularly loved how the romance is kept front and centre.

Can't wait to set foot in the Ravensdales' world again so that I can get to know the other characters better and still have a window on Jake and Jaz's relationship.

Five stars plus & one for my keeper shelf.

[suechild]

Keeper Shelf Reviews

Nine Months to Redeem Him by Jennie Lucas 

Hero to die for, heroine to cheer for, love story that made me cry, moody moors and rugged ruthlessness, writing with warmth and personality

My first impression was that 1st person point of view felt strange and I was afraid it was going to distance me. But not for long. Soon I was absorbed in the heroine’s character and personality, and if anything it drew me in more.

I loved the prologue, and how it creates PTQ, not that I wouldn’t have turned the pages anyway as I couldn’t put it down. I adored the oldfashioned advice book the heroine is reading, and the mention of Wuthering Heights etc which all contributes to the atmosphere.

Despite my second impression, which was suspicion of the writer’s Cornwall (which I know like the back of my hand) I really loved the gothic darkness of the Cornish castle setting, despite a few niggles which weren’t enough to spoil my overall enjoyment or detract from my five star plus rating.

Love the oldfashionedness of the outrageously dark hero (I adore outrageous heroes) and really enjoyed not being in the hero’s head. The clues to him and how he’s feeling are all there so you really have to pay attention to what he says and does…and what he doesn’t. But believe me paying close attention to Edward St Cyr is no hardship. 

The snowy gothicness is redolent of old Anne Mather’s, such as Leopard in the Snow, complete with wounded hero and gym, no leopards, but a gorgeous sheepdog (just to make me extra happy), and of Sara Craven's Cornish manor house settings and non-Hero-POV stories. Fans of these authors will love this. But the setting, only-heroine point-of-view etc is given a fresh twist by the contemporariness of her family background, the juxtaposed LA setting and by the author’s gorgeous writing voice which has so much warmth and personality and is what makes this first person romance such a success.. 

The ending is absolutely beautiful and made me cry.

My favourite Jennie Lucas,one for my keeper shelf and to re-read. I believe Jennie has written a previous book in first person with Edward St Cyr as the villain…which I’m off to find now.

 five star plus

Arc courtesy of Net Galley and Mills and Boon

[suechild]

Review:   The Russian's Ultimatum by Michelle Smart

Loved the emotion, the characterisation, the depth of Pascha and Emily’s connection, the way the internal conflicts are expertly handled and the writer’s lovely warm voice

[suechild]

Not your typical Modern Romance

Powerful Italian, Penniless Housekeeper by India Grey

Thoroughly enjoyed a different sort of beginning that didn't make the rest of the story too predictable. But the rescue from leaking roof felt like a second first meet--when really page 31 is probably too late to wait for the relationship proper to start?

That said, India's writing is very readable and entertaining enough to overcome this.  

Both the hero and heroine are sad and the sadness imbues the writing, which I really felt and loved. But Sarah's image problem is overplayed at times. Her low self esteem and feelings of inadequacy as a mother are easy to relate to, but start to grate.

I like that Lorenzo's older and bitter, and a film director. I like the deep characterisation and emotion. I also liked the cast of characters; it somehow adds to the central conflict and makes Sarah and Lorenzo more rounded in context, and is very entertaining, but does dilute relationship intensity.

The same way the scenes between the hero and daughter and dog are lovely interaction at the expense of hero alphaness. The scene with Sarah's daughter in her bridesmaid's dress seen through Lorenzo's eyes made me cry. Again, pace is compensated for by depth of emotion and characterisation and page turning quality--I found myself deeply immersed and couldn't put it down.

It did strike me that really these two don't have a relationship--I mean  not married or pretend married, and hadn't slept together, but they do have a deeper relationship than lots of books where it progresses faster. (I know what I mean) and this slow developing relationship probably affects pace too--but it is lovely.

The ending is also lovely and Sarah's conflict is dealt with beautifully but probably--if I'm being picky and I know that I am--it was more the heroine's story and Lorenzo's conflict/relationship conflict wasn't really addressed properly, only in that by marrying Sarah he'd be getting a daughter.