2017 RITA Finalists Spotlight Tour: Historical Romance, Short

Welcome to the 2017 RITA Finalists Spotlight tour! Today, I'm showcasing the Historical Romance, Short category. Learn more about the RITA Awards and these titles!

What is the RITA Award? 

The purpose of the RITA award is to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas.

The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for excellence in published romance fiction.

For more about the RITA Award, click HERE: 

Finalists: Historical Romance, Short

Left at the Altar by Margaret Brownley

Book One of the Two-Time Texas series

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: November 1, 2015

Official Summary:

In the wild and untamed West, time is set by the local jeweler…but Two-Time Texas has two: two feuding jewelers and two wildly conflicting time zones. Meg Lockwood’s marriage was supposed to unite the families and finally bring peace. But when she’s left at the altar by her no-good fiancé, Meg’s dreams of dragging her quarrelsome neighbors into a ceasefire are dashed.

Hired to defend the groom against a breach of promise lawsuit, Grant Garrison quickly realizes that the only thing worse than small-town trouble is falling for the jilted bride. But there’s something about Meg’s sweet smile and determined grit that draws him in…even as the whole crazy town seems set on keeping them apart.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Google Play

The Study of Seduction by Sabrina Jeffries

Book Two of the Sinful Suitors series

Publisher: Pocket Books

Publication Date: March 22, 2016

Official Summary: 

When Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough, agrees to help his best friend’s impetuous ward, Lady Clarissa Lindsey, in her time of need, he knows he’s in for trouble. He’s been hunting for someone to wed, and she’ll just get in the way. Although captivated by the witty, free-spirited beauty, he fears she’d be all wrong as a wife...if she would even take such a gruff cynic for her husband. Yet he wants nothing more than to have her for his own.

Clarissa has no intention of marrying anyone—not Edwin, whom she’s sure would be an overbearing husband, and certainly not the powerful French diplomat stalking her. But when matters escalate with the diplomat, she chooses Edwin’s gallant offer of a marriage between friends in hopes that it will deter her stalker. She expects nothing more than an amiable union, but their increasingly tempestuous kisses prove more than she bargained for. When her stalker’s vow to expose the lovers’ deepest secrets threatens to destroy their blossoming attraction, will their tenuous bond withstand public ruin, or will Edwin lose all that’s important to him to protect his bride?

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Taming the Highlander by May McGoldrick

Book Two of the Scottish Relic Trilogy #2

Publisher: Swerve

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

Official Summary:

Innes Munro has the ability to "read" a person’s past simply by touching them, but her gift comes with a heavy price: her freedom. Forced to stay at desolate Castle Girnigoe, Innes never expects to be drawn to the wounded warrior who haunts its dark passages and challenges her at every turn.

Conall Sinclair, the earl of Caithness, carries the scars of battles with the English and the lash marks of their dungeons, but the wounds that fester within give him even greater pain. Isolating himself from his clan and the rest of the world in a tower perched on the wild Scottish coast, Conall is reluctant to let the spirited Innes close to him, however neither can deny the growing passion that ignites with every look, every touch.

But can Conall ever love a woman who can read his darkest secrets and feel the pain he hides... and can love really tame all fears? As dangerous forces close in, Conall and Innes must take the ultimate leap of faith and forge a bond of trust that will save them both...or lose each other forever.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Google Play

About the Authors:

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MARGARET BROWNLEY has penned more than forty novels and novellas. Her books have won numerous awards, including Readers’ Choice and Award of Excellence. She’s a former Romance Writers of American RITA® finalist and has written for a TV soap.  She is currently working on a new series.  Not bad for someone who flunked eighth grade English.  Just don’t ask her to diagram a sentence.

Happily married to her real-life hero, Margaret and her husband live in Southern California.

Sabrina Jeffries is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several Regency-set historical romance series, including the Royal Brotherhood, the School for Heiresses, the Hellions of Halstead Hall, the Duke’s Men, and the Sinful Suitors. When she’s not writing in a coffee-fueled haze, she’s traveling with her husband, caring for her adult autistic son, or indulging in one of her passions: jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, music, and costume parties. With more than nine million books in print in twenty languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a budding career in academics for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world. She always dreams big.

Authors Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick (writing as May McGoldrick) weave emotionally satisfying tales of love and danger. Publishing under the names of May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey, these authors have written several novels and works of nonfiction for Penguin Putnam, Mira, HarperCollins, Entangled, and Heinemann. Nikoo, an engineer, also conducts frequent workshops on writing and publishing and serves as a Resident Author. Jim holds a Ph.D. in Medieval and Renaissance literature and teaches English in northwestern Connecticut. They are the authors of Much ado about Highlanders, Taming the Highlander, and Tempest in the Highlands with SMP Swerve.

For a full list of RITA finalists, readers can go to THIS page. More Historical Romance, Short finalists can be found HERE.

The RITA Award Ceremony will be held July 27, 7 p.m. at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort during the Romance Writers of America National Conference. Readers can watch it streaming live at www.rwa.org or follow RWA on the following social media platforms for winner announcements: 

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Review: When the Rogue Returns by Sabrina Jeffries

When the Rogue Returns by Sabrina Jeffries

Book Two of The Duke's Men series

Publisher: Pocket Books

Publication Date: January 21, 2014

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

The second sparkling book in the New York Times bestselling Duke’s Men historical romance series, featuring the Duke’s cousin and a skilled female jeweler who must unravel a mystery ten years in the making.

It had been a decade since Victor Cale, first cousin to the Duke of Lyons, had seen his wife. After some royal jewelry went missing from the jeweler’s shop where they worked, Isabel Mertens disappeared. When Victor gets word of a woman who fits his wife’s description, he sets out to confront her. But he discovers that nothing is as it seems—and revenge is never as sweet as true love.

What I Liked:

I read and enjoyed the first book in this series (What the Duke Desires) earlier this year, so naturally, I was excited to read the second in the series. I have to admit, I wasn't as pleased with this book as I'd hoped to be, for various reasons. However, for the most part, I found this a tolerable and okay read.

Victor Cale and Isabel Mertens married ten years ago - but they have been separated for ten years. Just months after they got married, they parted ways, but both of them had different understandings of why the other had left. Both of them thought that the other stole a diamond necklace - a necklace that was supposedly replaced by Isabel's recreation. Isabel is a jewelry designer - she designs pieces of jewelry that are mostly fake, but look very real.

Well, fast forward ten years. Victor finds Isabel, and tracks her down. The rest of the book follows Victor and Isabel's feelings of anger and betrayal, and their slow journey to piece together what really happened ten years ago. 

I really liked Victor. I felt bad for him the entire time - he lost SO MUCH more than Isabel did. I didn't like Isabel. She's stupid (see below). Victor deserved better.

I can safely say that the author created an interesting premise to this novel - I haven't read any historical romance novels even close to what Jeffries has woven here. I'm not saying I loved it - the execution wasn't the best, but I applaud her originality. For a while, I really wanted to know what was going on. After a while, it's a tad bit predictable. 

What I Did Not Like:

In general, my biggest problem with this book was that it was BORING, overall. There weren't just pockets of boring scenes - the book, in general, was boring. I'm pretty experienced with reading boring books, and I like to say that I have the patience to read them, which is why I finished this book, and it has a review. But it was still boring. The plot seemed to drag on and on, laced with petty squabbles and angry banter and fizzling chemistry. I use the word "fizzling", because the chemistry in this book was seriously lacking, in my opinion.

Yes, that brings me to problem number two: I really was not feeling the chemistry OR the romance. I honestly could care less if Victor and Isabel got back together, in the end. Wait, no - I cared because I really liked Victor, and Victor deserves to happy. For some reason, that involves Isabel.

I really just did NOT like Isabel. Yes, I understand that both of them were under false impressions, about what happened ten years ago, but I dislike Isabel and what she did, what she took away from Victor. I blame her for many things, especially for being so stupid, with her relatives. Poor Victor.

So, I basically spent the entire book hating Isabel. There's a problem there, when you hate the heroine of the novel. And when you dislike the plot, because the story is predictable. And the ending just worked out too well - everything fell right into place, down to the lovesick duke finding someone else to fawn over. Just a little TOO perfect - which I'm not a fan of.

Would I Recommend It:

Ehhh, not really. If you read and enjoyed the first book in the series, then I think you should read this book. But otherwise, this one wasn't really remarkable or noteworthy or anything. I don't think it would be worth starting a new series, because this book wasn't nearly as good as the first book (for me, unfortunately).

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. I wasn't really impressed, but I suppose it was worth the read. The third book doesn't have a synopsis yet, but I might read that one still. Might.

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Review: What The Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

What The Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

Book One of The Duke's Men series

Publisher: Pocket Books

Publication Date: June 18, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, accepted long ago that his kidnapped brother was dead. When a cryptic note from investigator Tristan Bonnaud claims otherwise, Max seeks out Tristan’s sister, Lisette—and is infuriated to learn that Tristan has also mysteriously vanished. Have the siblings perpetrated an elaborate hoax? Or is the fiercely protective beauty as innocent as she claims them to be?

Fearful that the powerful Duke will destroy Tristan’s career in his zeal for the truth, the clever Lisette convinces Max to accompany her to Paris in a joint search for their loved ones. But their journey takes a seductive twist when they pose as an ordinary husband and wife—not an English Duke with a tarnished family name and the illegitimate daughter of a viscount—and discover an exhilarating passion free from the damning secrets of the past. With the line between danger and desire enticingly blurred, they discover that some mysteries, like those of the heart, are answered tenfold in the bliss of a true and trusting love.

What I Liked:

You all KNOW how much I enjoy a historical romance novel every now and then. Okay, fine. More than every now and then! So I have some experience with historical romance. Not every one of them I like, or love. This one was pretty good though! It was different, because it was not about balls and marriage and suitors.

I was almost immediately intrigued by this book, right from the start. The novel begins with Lisette's past, and what her family did to her and Tristan. That was sad and heartbreaking to read! But it really gave depth to Lisette and Tristan. I feel like I probably would not have been on Tristan's side throughout the book, had the beginning not been about Lisette's childhood.

The romance is a huge part of this story (but not the largest part of the plot). I love Max and Lisette's relationship. It was so funny in the beginning - when Lisette needed to come up with a cover story for her and Max, and suddenly, they were a "married couple". The scene in the carriage with the neighbors - priceless!

Nevertheless, I loved watching the relationship between Max and Lisette blossom. It was not necessarily a different romance, but it was sweet. Max is tortured in his own way, and that made tough Lisette come down hard on him, but then comfort him. It was so nice to see them help each other with their pasts.

The plot was not completely romance-driven, which was nice. I liked how the wild goose chase for Tristan turned out, as it gave way to some special scenes between Lisette and Max. Also, in the end, we get to see a part of Max's past unfold! I thought that was a nice touch, at the end. 

So, the ending was a great ending. This one person got exactly what he deserved. Lisette and Max and Tristan and Victor (I covertly mentioned him without mentioning his name) each had satisfying endings. 

So basically, I liked this book!

What I Did Not Like:

There was not much about this book that I did not like! I enjoyed the book as I read it. 

So, why not five stars? It feels like a 4-star book, in my opinion. I liked this book, but I did not absolutely love it like I want to hug it after I am finished. Yes, that HAS happened before :D

Would I Recommend It:

Sure! A bit long, for some readers (length, on the long extreme, never bothers me), but I think historical romance lovers will devour this one! Of course, Sabrina Jeffries fans know she can write a good historical romance novel. Well, this one does NOT disappoint!

Rating:

4 stars. This is a pretty great historical romance novel!

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Swoon Thursday (#11): What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries!

***Adult book alert! But this makes up for last week's not-so-hot swoon.***

She froze. "What do you think you're doing" "Tempting you," he murmured, then covered her mouth with his. 

Oh, Lord help her. His lips were on hers, hot and hard and demanding, and that annoying fluttering in her belly began. The whole world seemed to tilt sideways, sending her spiraling down into a place where hear and longing and need seemed perfectly appropriate.

At some point she must have opened her mouth, for his tongue swept inside, surprising her. Then melting her. He delved deep ina motion far more intimate than the play of their hands earlier.

- eARC, 29%

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

I'll leave you with that...

This book is actually really good, for a historical romance! Most historical romances follow the same pattern, but this one was unique. And the sex doesn't happen until pretty late in the book. That up there? Doesn't lead to one (which I sort of prefer!). When I say late in the book, I mean, like, around 50% and past maybe (I can't exactly remember). 

But trust me, Sabrina Jefferies keeps the chemistry ALIVE, throughout the entire book. Without needing more than two (I believe it was two) sex scenes. More power to her!

So, what about you? What made you swoon this week?