Review: Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas

Suddenly You

by Lisa Klepas

Miss Amanda Briars is a confirmed spinster and a very successful novelist and very happy with her life. However, it is approaching her 30th birthday and she decides to get herself a very unusual birthday present, a night of passion with a man, something she yearns to experience. When the man she hires arrives, she got far more then she bargains for...

 This is one of my favourite Lisa Kleypas novels, it has the perfect combination of interesting heroine and gorgeous and tormented hero. Kleypas seems to have a direct window into my mind and creates heroes that I am bound to fall in love with, and heroines that I wish I had as friends.

 As always this is written brilliantly, drawing you into the characters life's until you can almost feel their emotions. I think this was LKs most sensual books, the sex scenes although not annoyingly frequent are steaming hot and intense, charged with Amanda and Jack's mutual longing, desire and love.

 Another fantastic book by Lisa Kleypas, if you haven't read it then I highly recommend you get your hands on it, if you have read it, there is always time for a reread!

Purchase Links: Amazon

Battle of the Covers: UK vs USA

Friday Harbor Series 

by Lisa Kleypas

Our Lisa Kleypas month is coming to an end and we didn't want to finish the month without asking for your votes on the battle of the covers.  This time around we'd like to know what you think of the Friday Harbor series.  They are both beautiful covers, but which ones do you like best?

 

US                                                  UK

 

US                                                  UK

 

US                                                  UK

Romance Rewind: A Day with the Hathaways

The Hathaways by Lisa Kleypas
How you know you are a humongous Lisa Klepas fan:

(1) Reread all her books obsessvly avidly;
(2) Have daydreamed about all her heroes;
(3) Have a fangirl scream-dance release day routine perfected.

We have all the above ticked off and feel no shame, and although we can no longer do (3) for the Hathaways as it is a complete series, number (1) and (2) are still going strong (especially (2)) Like all LK's romances the Hathaway series is well written, funny and romantic, reading each one is like meeting up with your friends and family and settling in to watch the romance blossom.

The reading order is below with a small quote to entice you further!

Book One: Mine Till Midnight

“The Rom believe you should take the road that calls to you, and never turn back. Because you never know what adventures await. So we're going to take this road," he murmured, "and see where it leads.”

READ OUR REVIEW

Book Two: Seduce Me at Sunrise

“All the fires of hell could burn for a thousand years and it wouldn't equal what I feel for you in one minute of the day. I love you so much there is no pleasure in it. Nothing but torment. Because if I could dilute what I feel for you to the mil­lionth part, it would still be enough to kill you. And even if it drives me mad, I would rather see you live in the arms of that cold, soulless bastard than die in mine."

READ OUR REVIEW

Book Three: Tempt Me at Twilight

“In the fairy tale you mentioned last night, I would probably be the villain. But it's possible the villain would treat you far better than the prince would have.”

READ OUR REVIEW

Book Four: Married by Morning

“You are not a perfect woman. You have an evil temper, you’re as blind as a mole, you’re a deplorable poet, and frankly, your French accent could use some work.” Supporting himself on his elbows, Leo took her face in his hands. “But when I put those things together with the rest of you, it makes you into the most perfectly imperfect woman I’ve ever known.”

READ OUR REVIEW

Book Five: Love in the Afternoon

“Beatrix, do you know what happens to girls who ask such naughty questions?”
“They’re ravished in haylofts?” she inquired hopefully.

READ OUR REVIEW

Review: Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas

Love in the Afternoon

by Lisa Kleypas

(The Hathaways # 5)

Master storyteller, Lisa Kleypas, has brought another series so dear to my heart to an end...gloriously!  Ohh what a beautiful book!  I always knew Beatrix was special but she is such a sweetheart in this story I couldn't help but love her to pieces.  And her hero, Christopher Phelan, is worthy of all her love and attentions.  Truly falling in love with Beatrice's beauty on the inside.

This book has some of my favorite things... a strong lovable heroine who is not afraid to be a bit unladylike and get dirty sometimes; a hero that is truly that, a hero; love letters and notes (I always love books that have that!); a lot of cute and adorable animals.

Beatrix is a favorite of mine.  She was always different even in a family like the Hathaways.  I love how she started her connection to Christopher through letters while he was during war.  Even if she wasn't writing them for herself.  And just as she can tame the wildest animals, she's the perfect woman to handle Christopher.

Christopher was amazing as well, he was intense and Beatrix was the only thing that seemed to have pulled him through difficult times and is still helping him now.  His PTSD was not addressed as good as I thought it should but I find in a lot of historicals with this subject, they don't go too deep either.

The Hathaway family makes a small appearance, which just makes me sad because I can't believe there won't be any more books in this series.  I will miss it dearly and I am on the hunt now for my next Lisa Kleypas read... Suggestions?

Lisa Kleypas wonderful contemporary romance stories but when she's at her best is definitely in historicals.  You feel completely transported to the world she describes, as if you were attending the balls and dinners and taking the walks through the gardens with the characters.

Purchase Links: Amazon

Sizzling Books of Summer Giveaway Hop

Gasp! We are late posting this!! We are very happy to be participating in the Sizzling Books of Summer Giveaway Hop hosted by My Secret Romance Book Reviews.  We decided to share the love for a perfect summery beach read: RAINSHADOW ROAD by our Author of the Month Lisa Kleypas.

The Book...

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington. She is stunned and blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal: her fiance Kevin has left her. His new lover is Lucy's own sister. Lucy's bitterness over being dumped is multiplied by the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life. Facing the severe disapproval of Lucy's parents, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to "romance" Lucy and hopefully loosen her up and get her over her anger. Complications ensue when Sam and Lucy begin to fall in love, Kevin has second thoughts, and Lucy discovers that the new relationship in her life began under false pretenses. Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life--even after being broken--can be made into something new and beautiful.

READ OUR REVIEW

Rainshadow Road

Friday Harbor # 2

by Lisa Kleypas

Read the excerpt here!

The Drink...

You definitely have to enjoy this book with your favorite glass of wine.  I know it's not a special fruity drink recommendation but it's just what would go with the theme of this book.

The Series...

There's something really special about the Friday Harbor series, you just have to read them.  And did you hear that the first book, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is being made into a Hallmark movie?  It is supposed to be on TV by December!

Book 1: Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor

Book 2: Rainshadow Road

Book 3: Dream Lake

The Giveaway...
We have three print copies of RAINSHADOW ROAD up for grabs for this giveaway.  This one is US/Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Keep Hopping!

Review: Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

Dreaming of You

by Lisa Kleypas

Gamblers #2

Miss Sara Fielding, a celebrated but reclusive author, is researching her new book about gambling in the seedier parts of London a long way from her sedate live in the country. When she saves a man from being attacked she is astounded to realize that it is none other than the owner of the renowned gaming hall, Mr Derek Craven. In repayment for saving his life he lets the spinsterish but adventurous Miss Fielding into his club for her research; however, the little “mouse” seems to be getting under his skin, cracking the wall he has carefully erected over his emotions and heart.

Lisa Kleypas is a very talented writer and this book is one of her best, in fact it is one of the best romances historical or otherwise that I have read. And what makes it so good is Derek Craven, a truly brilliantly well rounded character, you get a glimpse of him in Then Came You but in this book he is outstanding; a truly unforgettable hero. He is a dark and complex character and the more you learn and understand about him and glimpse beneath his cold and mocking exterior you start to fall head over heels in love with him. He has a chequered past, which I won’t reveal any of as I don’t want to spoil it, because of this he doesn’t think he is good enough for Sara; with this mixture of danger and vulnerability I challenge any woman not to fall instantly in love with him!

Sara is another prime example of Ms Klepas's skill at creating unforgettable and well rounded character. She wasn’t the typical blushing country maiden and I found her charming, her naiveté despite having written a rather worldly book and her good nature made her the kind of person you wish you knew and were friends with. She is definitely one of my favourite heroines.

The romance between Derek and Sara was intense, Derek is a man of extremes and when he loves, he love violently and it is coveyed fantastically well on the page. It kept me riveted to the book and Derek and Sara have remained one of my favourite of her couples. Also if you are a fan of the Wallflower Quartet you get a glimpse of Ivo Jenner, Evie’s father, I love how her books all connect together.

Anyone with a love for dark, tormented and dangerously complicated heroes as well as those who like wallflower/bluestocking stories (if you love both, you are in luck!) this should make it on your must-read-right-now list, but I recommend that anyone who is a fan of romance give this a try.

Sara on Love

"Don't you understand how much even one day of loving each other is worth? Some people are searated by distances that can never cross. All they can do is dream about each other for a lifetime, never having what they want most. How foolish, how wasteful to havr love within your reach and not take it!"

Derek on Love

There was also the occasional bite of resentment when he realized she had become the source of all pleasure to him, all comfort and peace. She was the first human being he had ever needed. He had lost his freedom in a way he had never imagined possible, bound more securely by her love than by a mile's length of iron chains 

Review: When Dreams Begin by Lisa Kleypas

Where Dreams Begin

by Lisa Kleypas

Lady Holland Taylor has just come out of mourning for her beloved husband George who died three years ago. Despite the amount of time that has passed she still feels the grieve of his passing and never expects to marry or find love again, instead chosing to focus on her young daughter Rose. However, that all changes when she gets mistakenly kissed by a man in the first ball she has attented in three years, never expecting to feel the thrill of desire she flees hoping never to see the man again. The mysterious man; however, has entirely different expectations...

It is splendid to read a Lisa Kleypas book that I haven't seen before! I know she is now doing her contemporary series (something I really need to catch up on) but I don't know about anyone else, but I believe her Historicals will always be what I love her best for. When Dreams Begin is one of her earlier works and I was warned that it may not reach the high expectations I have when I pick up a Lisa Kleypas book, but although this book won't perhaps be my favourite book of hers I still think it was a great read and by no means did I feel it had let me down.

What I love most about LK's books, is her heroes and Zachary Bronson certainly made my heart beat a little faster, he reminded me of a mixture of Derek Craven and Simon Hunt (incidentally two of my favourite heroes!) a ruthless self made man, only he was a lot...nicer, she painted a picture of a man who would manipulate anyone to get what he wanted, but in Where Dreams Begin, we didn't really see much of that, instead you witnessed him fall madly in love with Holly, it was unexpectedly sweet.

Holly, I admit that at points she irritated me, why wasn't she throwing herself in the arms of this wonderful man? A man who adores her child; respects his mother; dotes on his sister and is madly in love with her? Alas, it would be a bit of a short book is she did, so I can't dislike her too much, but she also wasn't as memorable as some other heroines, which is part of the reason this book got 4 feathers and not 5. One of the aspects that I did like about this book was the George, Holly's dead husband, I liked that instead of making him an odious character that Holly hated, instead she truly loved him and this was book was also about Holly over coming her grief and learning to live without him as it was about her falling in love with Zach.

This was a beautiful love story and it once again goes to show what a great storyteller Lisa Kleypas is.