Book Review 22: A Rebel without a Rogue (The Penningtons Book One) by Bliss Bennet

Title: A Rebel without a Rogue (The Penningtons Book One)
Author: Bliss Bennet
Release Date: 15 September 2015

A woman striving for justice

Fianna Cameron has devoted her life to avenging the death of her father, hung as a traitor during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Now, on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, only one last miscreant remains: Major Christopher Pennington, the English army officer who not only oversaw her father’s execution, but who falsely maligned his honor. Fianna risks everything to travel to London and confront the man who has haunted her every nightmare. Only after her pistol misfires does she realize her sickening mistake: the Pennington she wounded is far too young to be the man who killed her father.

A man who will protect his family at all costs

Rumors of being shot by a spurned mistress might burnish the reputation of a rake, but for Kit Pennington, determined to add to his family’s honor by winning at seat in Parliament, such salacious gossip is nothing but a nightmare. To regain his good name, Kit will have to track down his mysterious attacker and force her to reveal the true motivation behind her unprovoked assault. Accepting the mistress of a former schoolmate as an ally in his search is risky enough, but when Kit begins to developing feelings for the icy, ethereal Miss Cameron, more than his political career is in danger. For Kit’s beginning to suspect that Fianna Cameron knows far more about the shooting—and the reasons behind it—than she’s willing to reveal.

As their search begins to unearth long-held secrets, Kit and Fianna find themselves caught between duty to family and their belief in what’s right. How can you balance the competing demands of loyalty and justice—especially when you add love to the mix?

Book Review 20: The Madness of Lord Westfall (Order of the M.U.S.E #2) by Mia Marlowe

Title: The Madness of Lord Westfall (Order of the M.U.S.E #2)

Author: Mia Marlowe
Release Date: 21 September 2015
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Buy: Amazon

Pierce Langdon, Viscount Westfall is mad. Everyone knows it. He fell from a tree when he was a boy and woke to hear strange voices. When the voices grow stronger as he grows older, his family commits him to Bedlam. But what he hears are the thoughts of those around him—a gift to be used in service to the Order of the M.U.S.E. Until he falls again…this time for a totally unsuitable woman.

Lady Nora Claremont hides her heartbreak behind the facade of a carefree courtesan. Viscount Westfall is the most confusing man she’s ever met. He seems to know exactly what she wants…and what she’s thinking.

Which is a dangerous thing, because what Nora wants is Pierce.

And what she’s thinking could expose her as a traitor to the crown…

Rating: 4.5/5
Review:

This is the first time I’ve read a story by Mia Marlowe and I have to say that I was intrigued by the idea of a historical romance novel starring characters with special abilities who belong to a secret order. Though this was apparently the second of the series (I missed The Curse of Lord Stanstead. Drat.), I was not disappointed. The story was entertaining and I kept wondering what was going to happen next. The characters were well written and it was hard not to sympathize with both Lord Westfall and Lady Nora as the story progressed. The passages from their secret journals were most insightful and necessary. There was some humor in the story but it helped a great deal that the author did not make fun of mental illness despite Lord Westfall’s sarcastic musings at times. However, I did hope that there would be more action for the Order of the M.U.S.E. as all of the members are very interesting. But all of them will be getting their own book it seems if you check out the author’s page (Meg’s story is coming out in November) so readers won’t be disappointed. I totally recommend this book for those who want a light and entertaining read, and those who won’t mind waiting for the next installment to come out.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the author/publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Book Review 18: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Title: Outlander  
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Release Date: 01 July 1991

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Rating: 5/5

Review:

I am not a fan of historical romances but after weeks of prodding from PakwanStripes who’s such a huge fan (and the physical therapist who missed my scheduled session), I finally started reading Outlander. And kept on reading. And reading. And reading. This book is so disturbingly addictive that I just need to find out what’s going to happen next (to Jamie mostly).

The main characters are Claire and Jamie. Claire belongs to the 1940’s but she gets thrown back 200 years after walking through a stone circle. She finds herself in Scotland and meets Jamie who has a bounty on his head. They get married out of necessity, and the book tells about their life together and how Claire tries to use what she knows as history to try and change the past that she’s currently in. If you thought that life in the 1700’s was much simpler, Ms. Gabaldon will make you think again. She’s got details for everything from the medical treatments to the superstitions to the torture that will make you feel like you’re walking with Claire and Jamie (and all the unwashed inhabitants in the leochs) through every funny and excruciating step they take in order to save lives.

Outlander is the perfect diversion for when you want to forget the present for a bit and go traipsing through the Scottish highlands with Claire and Jamie, and the rest of the highland bunch. I’m already on the third book, Voyager, and I still cannot put my tablet down.