Blog Tour: The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (Review, Excerpt)

She was in the wrong place…

Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers’ hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain’s bed…

He found her at the wrong time…

Known to society as a rascal and reckless privateer, Captain Andrew James Rokesby actually transports essential goods and documents for the British government. Setting sail on a time-sensitive voyage to Portugal, he’s stunned to find a woman waiting for him in his cabin. Surely, his imagination is getting the better of him. But no, she is very real—and his duty to the Crown means he’s stuck with her. 

Can two wrongs make the most perfect right?

When Andrew learns that she is a Bridgerton, he knows he will likely have to wed her to avert a scandal—though Poppy has no idea that he is the son of an earl and neighbor to her aristocratic cousins in Kent. On the high seas, their war of words soon gives way to an intoxicating passion. But when Andrew’s secret is revealed, will his declaration of love be enough to capture her heart…?

About the Book

The Other Miss Bridgerton
by Julia Quinn
Series
A Bridgertons Prequel (Jump to the Series on Amazon)
Genre
Adult
Historical Romance
Publisher
Avon Books
Publication Date
November 20, 2018
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Blog Tour: The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrigan Byrne (Review, Excerpt, Giveaway)

The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Kerrigan Byrne
Series: Victorian Rebels, book 6
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperback (August 28, 2018)
384 pages

Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Books-a-Million     IndieBound     Powells

Summary

The bravest of heroes. The brashest of rebels. The boldest of lovers. These are the men who risk their hearts and their souls—for the passionate women who dare to love them…

He is known only as The Rook. A man with no name, no past, no memories. He awakens in a mass grave, a magnificent dragon tattoo on his muscled forearm the sole clue to his mysterious origins. His only hope for survival—and salvation—lies in the deep, fiery eyes of the beautiful stranger who finds him. Who nurses him back to health. And who calms the restless demons in his soul…

A LEGENDARY LOVE

Lorelei will never forget the night she rescued the broken dark angel in the woods, a devilishly handsome man who haunts her dreams to this day. Crippled as a child, she devoted herself to healing the poor tortured man. And when he left, he took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after all these years, The Rook has returned. Like a phantom, he sweeps back into her life and avenges those who wronged her. But can she trust a man who’s been branded a rebel, a thief, and a killer? And can she trust herself to resist him when he takes her in his arms?

Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller

Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller

Narrated by Marisa Calin

Rating: 5 Stars

Published February 28th 2017 by Feiwel & Friends
Summary: There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
(from Goodreads)

Review: I love this book. Let me repeat, because I feel it so hard: I love this book.
Can I just start by saying: OMG, this cover.
Alosa is so bad ass. Her reminders of "Pirate" any time Riden questioned her unladylike behavior cracked me up. She's basically Captain Jack Sparrow only a tiny redheaded fury, and not drunk all the time. She's a brazen, smart-mouthed spitfire who is almost too good at her job. She has to keep pretending to be trying to escape so her captors don't get suspicious of her. I love how many steps ahead she thinks, and how many false trails she lays.
Without revealing spoilers, about all I can say is I loved Alosa fighting with herself, with her dual natures, her instincts.

I fell in love with Riden more than a little as well. He's just so honorable and un-piratelike. I like how confused he is about his feelings for Alosa, and is torn about his past, her past, his relationship with his family, her relationship with her family… He overthinks everything, and is way too much of a neat freak. He's so self-sacrificing and good, I want to shake him and go "How are you a pirate?!" OK, Will Turner. Go back to your room and clean it. I love you. *smooch*

Some of the side characters were pretty great as well, especially Alosa's superstitious guard (Enwyn? I listened on audiobook, so forgive if I'm getting it wrong!) There are a couple of plot twists in there that are very intriguing (though I did see the "big reveal" coming wayyyyyy in advance, but… well, that can you do?)

I listened to this on audiobook, and the narrator is amazing! Marisa Calin does an excellent job narrating Alosa, daughter of the Pirate King. She conveys Alosa's sassy, witty, fierce personality with excellence, and does a great job of voicing the other (male) characters as well, giving each their own voice. I especially loved this part:

“I’m going to show you something more magical than the stars.”
Oh yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. I can’t do this. I can’t stand to hear him talk anymore.

You know the narration was good when you pop onto Audible to see what other books they've narrated and immediately buy any of them that look emotionally interesting.

You also know the book was good when you immediately go buy the sequel. (Or attempt to, at least. Audible doesn't have Daughter of the Siren Queen available for pre-order yet, and if it's not narrated by Maria Calin again I'm going to start a riot.)

Book Review: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Book Review: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide #1) by Mackenzi Lee

Rating: 3 Stars

Published June 27th 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books
Summary: Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores


Review: Let me first lead by saying I read a LOT of historical romance set in the Georgian/Regency era. Let me then follow that with - holy anachronisms, Batman!! (The most painful: "Hey there, my foxy lady.")

This is definitely YA/NA by the tone. unread plenty of adult Regency romance featuring 18 year old leads and the immaturity of Henry "Monty" Montague is much more like an 18 year old in this day and age than one in the 1700s.

I wanted to slap Monty several times, and he's very much one of those people who manage to take two steps forward then one step back. He's got a major case of the poor-pitiful-me's as a titled, white non-cis man in the 1700s. Meanwhile his best friend is half-black and an orphan being raised by his English aunt and uncle in a society that is very unwelcoming to people of color, and his sister is a scientifically minded woman interested in medicine in an age when women aren't allowed an education and are technically owned by their fathers and then their husbands. So yeah, Monty, things are tough all over. But then I also hurt for him and wanted to see him have a happy ending.

Though I had to throw this book to the side several times and read something ELSE for a while, it did grow on me (rather like a fungus). And darling Monty did manage to have some personal growth so I suppose I felt slightly less like slapping him by the end of the book. I look forward to learning more about Felicity and her adventures in the next book - now there is a strong woman!!