A Regency I Won't Soon Forget - The Aristocrat's Lady by Mary Moore/5 Stars

Let me preface this review by saying that I do not normally read small, mass market paperbacks. I've often found them either to all be the same, or to have so little plot and character development that I'm bored by book's end.

Today I ate those words.

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a Regency novel more than I enjoyed this one.  The prose was exceptional, the characters and their flaws believable, and the romance was heart-stopping.  I loved the witty banter between the two major characters, as well as the secret that propelled much of the storyline.  And if all that wasn't enough to blow me away, the fact that The Aristocrat's Lady was Mary Moore's debut novel....well, you could've easily blown me over with a feather.

Quite possibly, this book will make my Top Ten list at year's end, and we've got a long way to go before we get there!  Ms. Moore is an author that I will be reading more from in the future...of that, I have no doubt.

5 Stars

Southern?  No
Sass?  Without question.  :o)

Summary of The Aristocrat's Lady:

An Unexpected Encounter


For a few moments on a moonlit balcony, Nicole Beaumont was just a beautiful woman catching the eye of the handsome Lord Devlin--but she knew the illusion couldn't last. If the enigmatic aristocrat knew her secret, he'd realize that her disability left her unfit for love. So who could blame her for hiding the truth a little longer?

Devlin had never met a woman like Nicole. Her unique combination of innocence and wisdom left him utterly intrigued. Yet what was she hiding? For a man who did not trust easily, discovering her secret was devastating. Overcoming their pasts and forging a future would take faith, forgiveness and trust. And second chances could lead to new beginnings...

Book Review: Montana Hearts by Charlotte Carter/3.5 Stars

About the book:

Sarah Barkley has come to Sweet Grass Valley, Montana, with a mission in mind. Ever since her heart transplant, she's wanted to secretly help the family of the woman whose heart saved her life. And with two motherless children and a sprawling ranch to care for, Kurt Ryder could sure use some support. Falling for the rugged rancher is an unexpected complication. Does Kurt want Sarah for herself—or for her connection to the past? Her heart brought her to Sweet Grass Valley, but only love—and a leap of faith—will make it her home.

My thoughts:

Love Inspired books are not typically something that I go out of my way to read. I often get bored with the happy endings, the cheesy plots, the guy and the girl that always end up together, a single mom with a kid who finds the perfect man (and dad) for her and her kid, etc. etc. Because of all that, Love Inspired books rarely make it into my hands.

But....

I'm so very glad that I made an exception with this one. Until reading Montana Hearts, I'd never heard of Charlotte Carter before, and I have to compliment her on her excellent style of writing. This story would have been terrible if everything had been too rushed, and if the romance had moved any quicker. Instead, it was paced very well, with little morsels of drama and heart-flutterings along the way.

I'd be more than happy to read more of this author in the future (even if it is another LI book...*grin*). My rating for Montana Hearts is 3.5 Stars.

Southern?  No
Sass?  No

Book Review: Abide with Me by Delia Parr

About the book:

The three Long sisters of Welleswood, New Jersey, felt they could handle any problem, any crisis together…

But suddenly, each was facing the most critical challenge of her life. Andrea, a single mom, was in a fight for survival, against cancer. Madge, who'd once lived a storybook life, needed to find forgiveness--if she ever could--for a husband who'd kept a shocking secret for years. Jenny, pregnant with her third child, longed to keep her husband's dream alive, whatever the sacrifice.

To get through it all, they would have to lean on one another as never before, trusting that their love and hope--and their faith, no matter how far it was tested--would see them through.

My thoughts:

I had never even heard of Delia Parr until last year when I read one of her books--Day by Day. Turns out that Day by Day is book 2 of her Home Ties Trilogy, and I had no clue I was reading the series out of order....which is not a bad thing since each book can stand on it's own. While I was not at all impressed with Day by Day (very depressing and slow-moving story), Abide with Me was just right. There are some pretty hefty issues brought up, but I didn't have that same depressed feeling with this one as I did with Day by Day. Overall, Abide with Me was a wonderful, light read, and as soon as I can find a copy, I plan to finish out the series and read book 3, Carry the Light.