A Royal Kiss and Tell by Julia London

Every young man in London’s ton is vying for Lady Caroline Hawke’s hand—except one. Handsome roué Prince Leopold of Alucia can’t quite remember Caroline’s name, and the insult is not to be tolerated. So Caroline does what any clever, resourceful lady of means would do to make sure Leo never again forgets: sees that scandalous morsels about his reputation are printed in a ladies’ gossip gazette…all while secretly setting her cap for the rakish royal.

Someone has been painting Leo as a blackguard, but who? Socially, it is ruining him. More important, it jeopardizes his investigation into a contemptible scheme that reaches the highest levels of British government. Leo needs Lady Caroline’s help to regain access to society. But this charming prince is about to discover that enlisting the deceptively sweet and sexy Lady Caroline might just cost him his heart, his soul and both their reputations…

Lady Caroline was difficult to like at the beginning.  She was annoyingly outspoken, which I usually like in a character.  Her need to be the center of attention was also a turn off.  But this author completely turned my feelings around for this character.  Prince Leo has been told his time in England is over and he needs to return home to resume his duties and marry for the good of his country. A plot is revealed to Leo and he does his best to figure out who and what is at the center before he leaves.  Their romance is slow and the banter is humorous. I enjoyed Justin Hill's narration of this 2nd book in the series. 

Julia London is a NYT, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of historical and contemporary romance. She is a six-time finalist for the RITA Award of excellence in romantic fiction, and the recipient of RT Bookclub's Best Historical Novel.

Julia's website



*Thanks to Harper Audio/Harper Collins/Netgalley for these review copies*

A Death In Live Oak (audio)

When the body of Jamal Cousin, president of the pre-eminent black fraternity at the Florida's flagship university, is discovered hogtied in the Stygian water swamps of the Suwanee River Valley, the death sets off a firestorm that threatens to rage out of control when a fellow student, Mark Towson, the president of a prominent white fraternity, is accused of the crime.

Contending with rising political tensions, racial unrest, and a sensational media, Townson’s defense attorney, Jack Swyteck, knows that the stakes could not be higher—inside or outside the old Suwanee County Couthouse. The evidence against his client, which includes a threatening text message referencing "strange fruit" on the river, seems overwhelming. Then Jack gets a break that could turn the case. Jamal's gruesome murder bears disturbing similarities to another lynching that occurred back in the Jim Crow days of 1944. Are the chilling parallels purely coincidental? With a community in chaos and a young man’s life in jeopardy, Jack will use every resource to find out.

As he navigates each twist and turn of the search, Jack becomes increasingly convinced that his client may himself be the victim of a criminal plan more sinister than the case presented by the state attorney. Risking his own reputation, this principled man who has devoted his life to the law plunges headfirst into the darkest recesses of the South’s past, and its murky present, to uncover answers.

For Jack, it's about the truth. Traversing time, from the days of strict segregation to the present, he’ll find it—no matter what the cost—and bring much-needed justice to Suwanee County.

Jonathan Davis narrates this 14th book in the Jack Swyteck series that will have you  gritting your teeth at the truth of history as well as vacillating back and forth about what really happened and why. The author handles the subject matter  it in a way that is riveting and entertaining. Jack's FBI wife Andi becomes involved in a way that makes a big impact on their lives. Looking forward to Jack's next case.

*Thanks to HarperAudio for this review copy*

Wicked Wallflower (audio)

Lady Emma Avery has accidentally announced her engagement—to the most eligible man in England. As soon as it’s discovered that Emma has never actually met the infamously attractive Duke of Ashbrooke, she’ll no longer be a wallflower; she’ll be a laughingstock. And then Ashbrooke does something Emma never expected. He plays along with her charade.

A temporary betrothal to the irreproachable Lady Avery could be just the thing to repair Ashbrooke’s tattered reputation. Seducing her is simply a bonus. And then Emma does what he never expected: she refuses his advances. It’s unprecedented. Inconceivable. Quite damnably alluring.

London’s Least Likely to Misbehave has aroused the curiosity—among other things—of London’s most notorious rogue. Now nothing will suffice but to uncover Emma’s wanton side and prove there’s nothing so satisfying as two perfect strangers…being perfectly scandalous together.

Trio of friends: Emma, Olivia and Prudence have suffered through four season and are on the shelf. All three of them are great characters that are invisible for one reason or another. The girls compose a "fun" note to the paper after consuming too much sherry that somehow gets sent and published. It becomes something Emma and Blake decide to use to their advantage, each for different reasons. Their journey to a happy ending was not without its obstacles that made this a fun read. Carolyn Morris narrated.  Looking forward to Olivia and Prudence's stories.

Author: Maya Rodale
Published: October 2013
Genre: Historical
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 3/20/14


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Lauren and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

One Lucky Vampire

Yes, Nicole Phillips has miraculously survived what appear to be three separate death threats from her ex-husband-to-be. But no, she does not need protection. At least that’s what she keeps telling everyone. But when her new housekeeper arrives complete with a sexy build and a no-nonsense attitude, she can’t help but feel a little safer. That is, until the passion between them heats up and she knows she’s really in trouble.

Jake Carlson never wanted to be immortal, or a vampire, in the first place. Turned during an emergency by Vincent Argeneau, he’s been living his new life away from the clan as a bodyguard for hire. That is, until Marguerite Argeneau reappears with a new job opportunity: undercover protection for a family friend…as a housekeeper. But when he discovers his beautiful new client is tougher than he first thought, Jake thinks he might be the one in need of protection. Just not the physical kind.

With two weeks until her divorce proceedings are final, Jake must do everything in his power to keep Nicole safe and happy… he just hopes he can keep ahold of his heart in the process!

Luck be a vampire tonight . . . When Nicole Phillips agreed to hire a housekeeper, she pictured someone a little frumpy and almost certainly female. Instead, she gets gorgeous, unmistakably male Jake Colson. The man is proving indispensable in the kitchen—and everywhere else. Except Jake might not be a mortal man at all. . . . and every night Who wouldn't want to be a tall, dark, powerful vampire? Jake, for one. He's barely had time to adjust to his new state before he's roped into a family favor. Still, secretly playing bodyguard to sweet, sexy Nicole is turning out to be the wildest ride of his life. First he'll put a stop to whoever's targeting her. Then he'll prove that this kind of love, and luck, happens only once in an eternity.

This is book 19 in a very popular Argeneau series, but my first book and thankfully it did not feel like I was missing out on information. There was quite a bit of action with lots of humor and a couple of twists. The family is very involved with each other, whether it is wanted or not, which adds to the humor. Jack Dupont did a great job of narrating.  I will listen/read to another book in this series.

Author: Lynsay Sands
Published: September
Genre:Paranormal
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 3/5/14


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Blood Money (audio)

It is the most sensational murder trial since O. J. Simpson's. The nation is obsessed with Sydney Bennett, a sexy nightclub waitress and good-time girl accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter for cramping her party life. When he had agreed to defend Sydney, Jack Swyteck knew he'd be taking on the toughest and most controversial case of his career.
.
Millions of "TV jurors" have convicted Sydney in the court of public opinion.

When the shocking verdict of not guilty is announced, citizens across the country are outraged, and Jack is bombarded by the fallout: angry, profanity-laced phone calls and even outright threats. Media-fed rumors of "blood money"—purported seven-figure book and movie deals—ratchet up the hysteria, putting Jack's client and everyone around her at risk.

On the night of Sydney's release, an angry mob outside the jail has gathered to serve its own justice. In the frenzy, an innocent young woman bearing a striking resemblance to the reviled Sydney Bennett ends up in a coma. While the media blame Jack and his defense team, the victim's parents reach out to him, requesting his help. They don't believe the attack was the tragic result of random mob violence.

Searching for the truth about what happened that night, Jack makes a frightening discovery. Larger and much more powerful forces are working in the shadows, and what happened outside the jail is a symptom of an evil that infected the show-stopping trial and media-spun phenomenon of Sydney Bennett.

I am a huge fan of Jack Swyteck and was a bit hesitant to pick up this book. Jack and Theo won me over despite the plot, and Jonathan Davis did such a great job narrating. There were more twist and turns that kept me guessing.  I look forward to the next Swyteck novel.

Author: James Grippando
Published: January 2013
Pages: Jonathan Davis
Genre:  Suspense/Thriller
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 3/4/14



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished

A Rogue Ruined…

He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of…absolution.

A Lady Returned…

Mara planned never to return to the world from which she’d run, but when her brother falls deep into debt at Temple’s exclusive casino, she has no choice but to offer Temple a trade that ends in her returning to society and proving to the world what only she knows…that he is no killer.

A Scandal Revealed…

It’s a fine trade, until Temple realizes that the lady–and her past–are more than they appear. It will take every bit of his strength to resist the pull of this mysterious, maddening woman who seems willing to risk everything for honor…and to keep from putting himself on the line for love.

Third book in the Rule of Scoundrels series, but stands alone well. I have been looking forward to Temple's story and was not disappointed. He is a dark and dangerous man, and I enjoyed that they both tried to ignore the attraction between them. At first I wasn't sure Mara was worthy of Temple, but she did sway me in the end.  Rosalyn Landor does a fabulous job narrating.  I have listened to this entire series and will do so with Chase's story.

Author: Sarah MacLean
Published: November 2013
Genre:  Historical Romance
Source:  HarperAudio
Finished: 2/7/14


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Paranormal/Fantasy Audios

Dead Set by Richard Kadrey

After her father’s funeral, Zoe moved to the big city with her mother to start over. But change always brings trials, and life in the city is not so easy. Money is tight, and Zoe’s only escape, as has always been the case, is in her dreams—a world apart from her troubled real life where can spend time with her closest companion: her lost brother, Valentine.

But something or someone has entered their dreamworld uninvited. And a chance encounter in a used record store, where the vinyl holds not music but lost souls, has opened up a portal to the world of the restless dead. It’s here that the shop’s strange proprietor offers Zoe the chance to commune with her dead father. The price? A lock of hair. Then a tooth. Then…

I choose this audio because I love the narrator.  Glad it turned out to be a great story as well!  Zoe is struggling with her grief and reaches out for connection, never thinking of the consequences. Once in Iphigene the story takes off and gets creepy good. Her father and brother warn her not to return, but in her grief, she just can't heed their warnings.  Kate Rudd did an exceptional job narrating.

Author:  Richard Kadrey
Published: October 2013
Genre: Paranormal
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 1/30/14

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses.

The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret.

Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself

I wanted to listen to this book because I have liked this author's previous books.  Tana has been scratched by a vampire while rushing to get her friends out of the house of horror she woke up in.  She is no stranger to vampires as her mother was infected when she was younger.  Why the two boys survived is a mystery and Gavriel has dark secrets of his own, and Tana is inexplicably drawn to him.  Tana is hoping she can survive the infection without becoming a vampire. In the age of social network, Coldtown is glamorized.  Tana knows there is nothing glamorous about it, but goes anyway. Christine Lakin narrated this book brilliantly. She captured the horrors, darkness, secrets, romance and emotion brilliantly.

Author:  Holly Black
Published: September 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source:  Hachette Audio
Finished: 1/31/14



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Dark Tide

Genevieve – office worker by day and pole dancer by night, finds herself implicated on a mob underworld of murder, corruption and betrayal. She has finally escaped the stressful demands of her sales job and achieved her dream: to leave London behind and start a new life aboard a houseboat in Kent.

But on the night of her boat-warming party the dream is shattered when a a body washes up beside the boat, and she recognises the victim. As the sanctuary of the boatyard is threatened, and her life is increasingly at risk, the story of how Genevieve came to be so out of her depth unfolds, and she learns the real cost of mixing business with pleasure.

 I was blown away by the author's debut, Into The Darkest Corner. I set my expectations very high and was not sure what to expect. After I realized this was a very different story, I settled into it and enjoyed it. It is sort of a love story disguised with bad guys.  I was waiting for something big to happen or a huge twist, and when it came, I almost missed it. Justine Eyre did a great job with the voices, tension as well as the change in tense. It took me a bit to figure out the "then" and "now" parts. 

Author:  Elizabeth Haynes
Published: March 2013
Narrator:  Justine Eyre (10 hrs. 21 mins.)
Genre:  Suspense/Thriller
Source:  Harper Audio
Finished:  6/6/13



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Zachary at Harper Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

One Good Earl Deserves A Lover

Lady Philippa Marbury is…odd.

The brilliant, bespectacled daughter of a double marquess cares more for books than balls, for science than the season, and for laboratories than love. She’s looking forward to marrying her simple fiancé and living out her days quietly with her dogs and her scientific experiments. But before that, Pippa has two weeks to experience all the rest–fourteen days to research the exciting parts of life. It’s not much time, and to do it right she needs a guide familiar with London’s darker corners.

She needs…a Scoundrel.

She needs Cross, the clever, controlled partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, with a carefully crafted reputation for wickedness. But reputations often hide the darkest secrets, and when the unconventional Pippa boldly propositions him, seeking science without emotion, she threatens all he works to protect. He is tempted to give Pippa precisely what she wants…but the scoundrel is more than he seems, and it will take every ounce of willpower to resist giving the lady more than she ever imagined.

I love it when listening to a book is so much fun that  I was looking for excuses to listen.  Rosalyn Landor did a fantastic job with each character. Pippa and Cross immediately ignited the pages with chemistry, humor, and sparkling banter in this delightful story.
I did not read the first book in this series, and did not feel like I missed much.  I do, however, want to go back and read it before the third book is released. 

Author: Sarah MacLean
Published: January 2013
Listening time: 12 hours, 33 minutes
Genre: Romance
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 5/9/13



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Up From The Blue

Tillie Harris's life is in disarray—her husband is away on business, the boxes in her new home aren't unpacked, and the telephone isn't even connected yet. Though she's not due for another month, sudden labor pains force Tillie to reach out to her estranged father for help, a choice that means facing the painful memories she's been running from since she was a little girl.

An extraordinary debut from a talented new voice, Up from the Blue untangles the year in Tillie's life that changed everything: 1975, the year her mother disappeared.

Tillie is instantly likeable as a spunky, naughty little girl not understanding what is wrong with her mother. An emotional, funny and heartbreaking story of mental illness in the 70s and how it affected the family. Tilly's father was  maddening but true to his character. I would have liked a bit more information, but overall was satisfied with this well written debut.  Emily Durante does a fantastic job with her narration.

Author: Susan Henderson
Published: September 2012
Narrator:  Emily Durante
Genre: Fiction
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 12/13/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

This Duchess of Mine

Wedding bells celebrating the arranged marriage between the lovely Duchess of Beaumont and her staid, imperturbable duke had scarcely fallen silent when a shocking discovery sent Jemma running from the ducal mansion. For the next nine years she cavorted abroad, creating one delicious scandal after another (if one is to believe the rumors).

Elijah, Duke of Beaumont, did believe those rumors.

But the handsome duke needs an heir, so he summons his seductive wife home. Jemma laughs at Elijah’s cool eyes and icy heart—but to her secret shock, she doesn’t share his feelings. In fact, she wants the impossible: her husband’s heart at her feet.

But what manner of seduction will make a man fall desperately in love…with his own wife?

I absolutely love Susan Duerden's narration of this series.  Early on in the series I did not like Elijah and wanted Jemma and Villers to get together, even though I knew it would not happen. As the story progressed, I came to like Elijah and rooted for this couple.  The author has a knack of including priceless scenes, in this book it is the blindfolded chess match. The last 1/4 of the book was wonderful.  Villers' story (A Duke of Her Own) is next and this book does a great job of setting up the anticipation.

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The House of Velvet and Glass

Still reeling from the deaths of her mother and sister on the Titanic, Sibyl Allston is living a life of quiet desperation with her taciturn father and scandal-plagued brother in an elegant town house in Boston’s Back Bay. Trapped in a world over which she has no control, Sybil flees for solace to the parlor of a table-turning medium.

But when her brother is suddenly kicked out of Harvard under mysterious circumstances and falls under the sway of a strange young woman, Sibyl turns for help to psychology professor Benton Jones, despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past. As Benton and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, their long-simmering spark flares to life, and they realize that there may be something even more magical between them than a medium’s scrying glass.

After thoroughly enjoying this author's first book, I looked forward to this one. The author did a good job of weaving this family's story together (Lan's, Eulah and Helen's and Sybil's), as well as the historical aspects, however, it was nowhere near as wonderful as the first book. Sybil as the main character was a bit annoying, but the story was intriguing enough to overlook my feelings. The last third of the book got much better and I was glad I stuck with it. The narrator did a good job with each character. I especially enjoyed the seance sections.

Author: Katherine Howe
Published: April 2012
Narrator:  Heather Corrigan
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 11/1/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth at HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Ugly Duchess

How can she dare to imagine he loves her…when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess?

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime…until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry. Society was shocked by their wedding; it's scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his lifetime, convincing Theo that he loved the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that for a man with the soul of a pirate, All's Fair in Love—or War.

Another fine narration by Susan Duerden. I believe her narration made these characters a bit more likable, there were times when their behavior made me dislike them, but they did redeem themselves in the end. There was quite a bit of humor. I loved the scene where James is trying his hardest to win Theo back and convince her he will not be like he was at age 19.  Priceless!

Author: Eloisa James
Published: August 2012
Genre: Historical Romance
Source: HarperAudio
Finished:  10/5/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth at HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Serpent's Bite

“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child” - King Lear, William Shakespeare

This famed quote finds its modern meaning in a taut thriller of family dysfunction. In an attempt to reconnect with his two alienated adult children, George Temple replicates the memorable horse trek through the forbidding Yellowstone wilderness they had enjoyed twenty years earlier. But his callous children, Courtney and Scott, accompany him only to persuade him to restore the financial support he has withdrawn. As they are led by a drunken guide and a venal horse wrangler over potentially lethal terrain, their bonding experience quickly disintegrates.

Nostalgia is corrupted into a nightmare of lust, betrayal, and entrapment as the children’s disturbing motives are revealed and dark family secrets are exposed. Courtney’s appetite for selfish and violent pursuits establishes her as one of the most evil women in fiction, alongside the likes of Lady Macbeth. Through her, Warren Adler explores how an obsession for celebrity and blind ambition can distort familial love and turn a beloved child into a grotesque monster.

I am drawn to family dysfunction books, but this is dysfunction at its worst. There is not a character that is appealing or relateable and you know it is going to end in a total train wreck, but you can't help but turn the pages to see how far the characters will go to get their way. I was glad when it was over. If you like dark and twisted with ugly secrets, this book is for you.

Author: Warren Adler
Published: September 2012
Pages: 311
Genre:  Suspense
Source:  Media Connect
Finished: 10/4/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Jaime Weinberg and Media Connect and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Duchess by Night

Harriet, Duchess of Berrow, is desperate to flee the sadness of being a widow. Whether presiding over the Shire Court of the Duchy of Berrow, or dressed as a prim Mother Goose at an extravagant masquerade ball thrown by one of her wicked friends, Harriet’s in a rut. And she’s beginning to long for something altogether different.

It’s time for a complete change of pace – she will throw off her widow’s weeds and escape…to the famously dissolute house party held at Lord Strange’s country estate? But no duchess can appear at one of Strange’s parties without risking her reputation forever. So when the Duke of Villiers offers to accompany Harriet, she jumps at the chance – even if it means disguising herself as a young man.

This is the third book by this author that I have listened to and have I enjoyed each one. I am convinced much of it is due to the superb job by the narrator as I again looked for reasons to listen. Harriet is very likable as a Duchess who is tired of where she is in life, and jumps at the idea of masquerading as a man to help out her friend. Jem is an different kind of hero and turned out to be quite a surprise as I was leaning more towards the Duke of Villiers being the love interest. He was such an intriguing character that I can't wait to read (listen to) his book.  There were many laugh out-loud moments in this book.  When Jem reveals to Harry/Harriet that he knows his/her true identity was priceless!  This was book 3 in a series, but easily stood on it's own.

Author: Eloisa James
Published: June 2008
Narrator:  Susan Duerden
Genre:  Historical Romance
Source:  HarperAudio
Finished: 9/14/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

And When She Was Good

When Hector Lewis told his daughter that she had a nothing face, it was just another bit of tossed-off cruelty from a man who specialized in harsh words and harsher deeds. But twenty years later, Heloise considers it a blessing to be a person who knows how to avoid attention. In the comfortable suburb where she lives, she's just a mom, the youngish widow with a forgettable job who somehow never misses a soccer game or a school play. In the state capitol, she's the redheaded lobbyist with a good cause and a mediocre track record.

But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the area, she's the woman of your dreams—if you can afford her hourly fee.

For more than a decade, Heloise has believed she is safe. She has created a rigidly compartmentalized life, maintaining no real friendships, trusting few confidantes. Only now her secret life, a life she was forced to build after the legitimate world turned its back on her, is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can't be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it?

Nothing is as it seems as Heloise faces a midlife crisis with much higher stakes than most will ever know.

And then she learns that her son's father might be released from prison, which is problematic because he doesn't know he has a son. The killer and former pimp also doesn't realize that he's serving a life sentence because Heloise betrayed him. But he's clearly beginning to suspect that Heloise has been holding something back all these years.

With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. She's done it before and she can do it again. A new name and a new place aren't hard to come by if you know the right people. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life.

Heloise is at times hard to like in the present.  But her past helps to understand her a bit better and I wanted things to turn out for her. We are given her story in past and present alternating chapters that builds from finding out about the dead madam.  Linda Emond narrated and did a great job with each character.

Author: Laura Lippman
Published: August 2012
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 9/5/12

Your Wicked Ways

Helene, the Countess Godwin, knows there is nothing more unbearably tedious than a virtuous woman. After all, she's been one for ten long years while her scoundrel of a husband lives with strumpets and causes scandal after scandal. So she decides it's time for a change--she styles her hair in the newest, daring mode, puts on a shockingly transparent gown, and goes to a ball like Cinderella, hoping to find a prince charming to sweep her off her feet... and into his bed.

But instead of a prince, she finds only her volatile, infuriatingly handsome... husband, Rees, the Earl Godwin. They'd eloped to Gretna Green in a fiery passion, but passion can sometimes burn too hot to last.

But now, Rees makes her a brazen offer, and Helene decides to become his wife again... but not in name only. No, this time she decides to be very, very wicked indeed.

I accepted this audio book solely based on the narrator, Justine Eyre. She did a fantastic job of relating Helene's desire for a child that she would brave any scandal, and Rees' abominable behavior to his mistress, brother and wife.  Her brilliance of narration made each character sympathetic and genuinely had you wanting their very best.  I hope the Earl of Mayne gets his own story!

Author: Eloisa James
Published:  April 2012 (Book 04)
Narrator:  Justine Eyre
Genre:  Historical Romance
Source:  HarperAudio
Finished:  8/20/12

A Land More Kind Than Home

For a curious boy like Jess Hall, growing up in Marshall means trouble when your mother catches you spying on grown-ups. Adventurous and precocious, Jess is enormously protective of his older brother, Christopher, a mute whom everyone calls Stump. Though their mother has warned them not to snoop, Stump can't help sneaking a look at something he's not supposed to—an act that will have catastrophic repercussions, shattering both his world and Jess's. It's a wrenching event that thrusts Jess into an adulthood for which he's not prepared. While there is much about the world that still confuses him, he now knows that a new understanding can bring not only a growing danger and evil—but also the possibility of freedom and deliverance as well.

An absolutely marvelous debut novel that had me mesmerized from start to finish. Told in three character's (Adelaide Lyle, Jess Hall and Sheriff Clem Barfield) POVs that wrangled all sorts of emotions out of me as I read. The three narrators did a fantastic job with their characters.  I highly recommend the audiobook.  This would make a great book club selection.

Author: Wiley Cash
Published: April 2012
Narrators: Lorna Raver, Mark Bramhall, and Nick Sullivan
Genre:  Southern Fiction
Source:  HarperAudio/Beth Harper
Finished: 7/25/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from HarperAudio and Beth Harper and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Shoemaker's Wife

The majestic and haunting beauty of the Italian Alps is the setting of the first meeting of Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy, who meet as teenagers, despite growing up in villages just a few miles apart. At the turn of the last century, when Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished from his village and sent to hide in America as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Little Italy. Without explanation, he leaves a bereft Enza behind. Soon, Enza's family faces disaster and she, too, is forced to go to America with her father to secure their future.

Unbeknownst to one another, they both build fledgling lives in America, Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job in Hoboken until fate intervenes and reunites them. But it is too late: Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I and Enza, determined to forge a life without him, begins her impressive career as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House that will sweep her into the glamorous salons of Manhattan and into the life of the international singing sensation, Enrico Caruso.

From the stately mansions of Carnegie Hill, to the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, over the perilous cliffs of northern Italy, to the white-capped lakes of northern Minnesota, these star-crossed lovers meet and separate, until, finally, the power of their love changes both of their lives forever.

I enjoyed this story very much, but recommend reading it in print rather than listening. The first half of this book was wonderful with Annabella Sciorra narrating.  Her pronunciations and accent brought the time and place of the novel alive.   The second half lost all it's life for me when the author took over the narration.  I understand her reasoning behind the switch, but it did not work for me.  It was a chore to continue listening, but I did care enough about the characters to continue.

Author: Adriana Trigiani
Published: April 2012
Narrators: Annabella Sciorra and Adriana Trigiani
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source:  HarperAudio/ Beth Harper
Finished: 7/25/12 


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from HarperAudio and Beth Harper and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Wanted: Undead or Alive

He's a vampire from the big city . . .

Phineas McKinney thought New York City was tough, until he was attacked by Malcontents—evil vampires who consider mortals to be snacks. Saved by the good vampires, Phin swore to devote his now undead life to stopping the Malcontents. He's got his job cut out for him when word comes that their enemy may be hiding in Wyoming. What does a city boy like him know about horses and campfires? Good thing he's got Brynley Jones with him . . . if only she didn't hate every vampire on earth.

She's a werewolf princess . . .

Bryn believes vampires are seductive and charming, and that makes them dangerous. So she's more than a little annoyed about teaming up with Phin, even if he is the only bloodsucker able to make her inner wolf purr. But as they hunt down the new leader of the Malcontents, danger threatens . . . and Phineas and Brynley discover a passion that will rock the foundation of their supernatural world.

Certain paranormal novels have slowly becoming a genre that will get a second look from me. This is my first Kerrelyn Sparks book. It was hilariously entertaining that I looked for reasons to listen to the audiobook! I did not know this was book 12 in the Love At Stake series, and I did feel at times that I was missing information.  P. J. Ochlan did a great job at narrating.

Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Published: March 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source:  HarperAudio
Finished: 5/28/12
3 Bears

I listened to this audiobook on my iPod after downloading it from the Publisher.


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth Harper and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.