Tag: Onyx Publishing

Guest Review: The Golden Season by Connie Brockway

Posted February 10, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 0 Comments

Judith’s review of The Golden Season by Connie Brockway

Wealthy orphan Lady Lydia Eastlake reigns over Regency England as the ton’s most celebrated beauty. But Lydia must face losing the only life she has ever known when her fortune suddenly disappears—unless she can find a wealthy enough husband. Enter Captain Ned Lockton, a dashing war hero from a noble family whose coolheaded charm and dangerous smile send Lydia’s pulse racing. Her problems are solved. . . or are they? Little does Lydia know that the enigmatic captain’s family estate is secretly on the selling block—and he’s on the hunt for a rich bride who will rescue the Locktons from poverty. When the truth is revealed, Lydia and Ned will discover where true love lies. But will the price of passion be more than either is willing to pay?

As is often the case, the plot of this delightful Regency romance involves the search for a wealthy bride or groom, a not-unusual manner of saving one’s title and lands from the auction block. But this plot involves two of the “beautiful people” who each are searching for a mate who can save their way of life by an infusion of wealth. Lydia and Ned’s paths eventually cross and they become enamored with one another, believing that the other has the needed fortune. They are delighted that in addition to the money they have also discovered love. It is a terrible disappointment when they realize that they are both bankrupt and separated by their need for money—Lydia to save her flamboyant way of life, and Ned to fulfill his sense of obligation to his family and to be true to his promise to them to marry an heiress.

Connie Brockway has written a novel that is filled with the word pictures which accurately describe the world of post-war Regency England, one that is bearing the brunt of the costly Napoleonic War, the environmental challenges caused by the Little Ice Age (thus producing what is mentioned as “the year without a summer”), the subsequent devaluing of investments and property, and the extravagant lifestyle adopted by the Society known as the ton. She has taken a story line and plot that has become all too common and given it some twists and turns that have made it interesting and readable. The characters are also unique in that they both have known the insecurity of a transient life style and are drawn together by their mutual hunger for a true sense of “home.” It is a story that is filled with colorful characters that range from the irascible duchess and the demure, compulsive companion who are Lydia’s closest friends, the foolish and immature nephews who have driven the Lockton family into poverty with their gambling, the overbearing and censorious matrons who have imprisoned the ton in a web of minutiae and rules, and Lydia’s friend who can no longer tolerate a life without love.

Brockway keeps the story’s tensions sustained throughout but I did feel that the resolution to the conflict was a bit abrupt and after waiting for the happy ending throughout all the pages of the story, I sort of felt like someone had just said, “OK, we’re done now!” Maybe it’s just me, but I like a happy ending and I like one that hangs around for a few pages. Otherwise, this is a lovely story told with expertise and panache, and it was a great read.

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place
This book is available from Onyx. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

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Review: Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher (and giveaway)

Posted May 18, 2009 by Casee in Reviews | 42 Comments

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Casee‘s review of Burning Alive (The Sentinel Wars, Book 1) by Shannon K. Butcher

They are the Sentinels…

Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes—the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love…

Helen Day is haunted by visions of herself surrounded by flames, as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her from across a diner, she attempts to flee—but instead ends up in the man’s arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine. For the man is actually Theronai warrior Drake, whose own pain is driven away by Helen’s presence.

Together, they may become more than lovers—they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war and save Drake’s people…

This is Shannon K. Butcher’s first paranormal book and first book in The Sentinel War series. I wasn’t really in the mood for a paranormal book when I picked it up. If I can’t decide what to read, I take a few books and read the first chapter of each one to see which one sounds the best. The reason I picked this one was b/c of the first sentence.

The man who was going to stand by and watch while Helen burned to death liked his coffee black.

After I read that, I had to keep reading it.

Drake is a Theronai and a Sentinel, a powerful race of warriors who protect the world and the humans in it. The Sentinels are trying to find a fallen warrior’s sword before the Synestryn can release all the dark souls that was killed with the sword. Whenever a Theronai dies, retrieving his sword is paramount.

When Drake first sees Helen, he’s drawn to her. When he touches her, she makes the pain he constantly feels disappear. Drake would think she was special just for that, but the Sentinels soon realize she’s not a mere human. She’s a female Theronai, which their race hasn’t had in hundreds of years. Drake wants to bond her immediately, but knows that he has to give her some sort of choice.

Helen first thinks that Drake and his friends are crazy in the head. That’s before monsters burst into her house and try to kill the lot of them. After that, it’s a lot easier to believe him. Still, she can’t forget her dreams, the dreams where Drake stands by with a smile on his face while she burns to death. Helen is terrified of fire, with good reason. So when Drake tells her she can help the Sentinels’ cause by calling fire, she is incredulous.

While I wasn’t exactly blown away by this book, I did enjoy it. I think that the world Butcher has created is an interesting one. I believe that now that the ground work in this series is laid, the books will get better. My emotions were definitely engaged while I was reading this, which is why I think that the next book will be even better.

4 out of 5.

This book is available from Onyx. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Leave a comment in this post for a chance to win a copy of Burning Alive.

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Book Watch: Casual Hex by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Posted November 24, 2008 by Holly in Promotions | 3 Comments

One of my first forays into contemporary romance was with Vicki Lewis Thompson‘s Nerd Series*. Before I read The Nerd Who Loved Me (The Nerd Series)*, I remember having a conversation with Rowena about Nerds, Alpha-Heroes and Beta-heroes. We were convinced a Beta hero couldn’t be hot. After reading TNWLM, we knew we were wrong. Nerds can be hot. Especially Harry Ambrewster. He was just a regular guy, not bigger than life, but just average. His appeal came from just how normal he was. He’s still one of my all time favorites.

After that I read every entry that came out in the Nerd series. Unfortunately the concept kind of lost it’s appeal for me after the 4th or 5th book. I don’t think it’s a reflection of the author or the books, just my reading taste. I moved on to other things and the Nerds kind of got left behind. When I was browsing my local UBS sometime later, though, I found a couple of VLT Blaze books and really enjoyed those, but after awhile she kind of fell of my radar.

When I heard she was writing a paranormal series, I didn’t get too excited. For one thing, I had moved on. But more importantly, I was completely over paranormal romance and not too excited to start another paranormal series.

But..well, after reading the blurb for this book (and the previous two in the series), I’m kind of intrigued despite myself. I seriously hate it when that happens.

What do you think? Have you read any of the books in the series? Should I bite the bullet and try it? Anyone willing to try it with me?

Book CoverBook CoverBook Cover

CASUAL HEX (Onyx: March 3, 2009) is the third light and sexy contemporary paranormal romance set in Big Knob, Indiana, where Gwen Dubois resides in spite of the fact that her heart remains in Paris with Marc Chevalier. Now he’s coming to Big Knob to show her the real meaning of amour and coax her back to Paris with him. But stiff competition is coming from another part of the world-if not exactly this world. Prince Leo of the Atwood fairy kingdom has his own plans for Gwen.

As Mark and Leo battle for Gwen’s affections, Big Knob’s resident matchmaking witch and wizard move in to help true love triumph in the best way they know how: with a little magic. But when the rivalry outs Gwen in danger, the men in her life are asked to prove their love in ways no one could have imagined.

This book will be available from Onyx, March 3, 2009. You can pre-order it here.

Don’t forget: Buy a Book, Win $100

*The Nerd series by VLT isn’t actually one continuous series featuring the same characters – or even ones previously introduced. It’s just a series of books featuring Nerds as heroes (and in some cases, heroines).

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Review: Forever My Love by Lisa Kleypas

Posted October 2, 2008 by Holly in Reviews | 6 Comments

Review: Forever My Love by Lisa KleypasReviewer: Holly
Forever My Love by Lisa Kleypas
Series: Berkeley-Falkner #2

Publication Date: 1988
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 416
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Her lips softened and clung to his, seeking the warmth and taste of him. His tongue feathered against hers, and she shivered with a craving more powerful, more urgent, than hunger or thirst. . . .

Exquisitely beautiful Mira Germain was only eighteen when she made her bargain with the wealthy, powerful, elderly Lord Sackville. He would keep and protect her, and she would let him flaunt her as mistress to hide his shameful personal secret. Mira tried to keep her word, even when she met the handsome Alec Falkner, the Duke of Hamilton, as experienced in passion as Mira was innocent. But in his arms, desire was more powerful than any promise or pledge. . . as she learned to be a woman who would dare everything for love. . .

Lisa Kleypas is one of the first historical authors I ever read and glommed. I thought I had read every book she’d written, including the novellas. As it turns out, I was wrong. Back in the late 80’s (87 and 88, I believe) she released two novels with Onyx, before she signed w/ Avon. Forever My Love is the second one. The first, Where Passion Leads, features two characters who were prominent in this novel, but I’m not sure I want to read it (more on that later). This, however, was an excellent example of why I love Kleypas. (She also released a novel set in Victorian America, but I’m not very interested in it, so I left it off the list)

Alec and Mira first meet at the country estate of Lord Sackville where Alec has come to join an extended hunting party. They chance upon each other in the hallway and he’s immediately taken with her. He determines to find out more about her, but is disillusioned when he realizes she’s Sackville’s mistress. The revelation causes him to despise her and for the next several weeks they play a back and forth game of insults and attraction.

Mira is deeply indebted to Sackville for saving her life, and though she comes to care for Alec, she cannot betray Sackville. Alec urges her to leave with him, but then betrays her to Sackville (he shared something she told him in confidence). Bereft, Mira escapes the manor with an old friend, Rosalie Berkeley.

Mira and Rosalie were friends in France prior to Rosalie’s marriage to Lord Berkeley (Rosalie and Rand have their story in Where Passion Leads, the first novel published w/ Onyx) and she inadvertently betrayed them. Mira believes Rosalie and Rand hate her for her part in Rosalie being kidnapped, but the truth is they’ve been searching for her for years. Rosalie rescues Mira and takes her home where she (Rosalie) devises a plan to bring Mira out in society.

In the meantime, despite the deep connection they developed at Sackville’s, Mira and Alec are separated with no thought of being together again. As the winter progresses, however, Mira is reintroduced to society and keeps running in to Alec. It isn’t long before they recognize that the attraction between them is stronger than they first realized. They agree to marry. But despite her love for Alec, and his for her, Mira has secrets lurking in her past that she’s unwilling to share with him. When those secrets are revealed, will they destroy the bond between them?

Alec, he is an ass. Plain and simple. No two ways about it. He’s surly and cynical and acts abominably for the first half of the book. I heart him. At first I didn’t. I was frustrated by the way he treated Mira and his overall cynical attitude. Once he commited himself to her, however, he was in 100%. He loved her unconditionally, supporting her no matter what. It was kind of refreshing, actually, to see a reformed rake stay reformed for longer than a chapter or two.

Alec is suffering from the loss of his cousin, Holt, with whom he was extremely close. He and Holt’s little brother, Carr, team up to search for Holt’s murderer (he was found by Alec beaten to death in a back alley) and his commitment to that was also commendable. Watching him form attachments to Mira and Carr, and opening himself up, was wonderful.

That’s not to say I didn’t have issues with him, however. He was an ass and that really didn’t work for me in the beginning. He was also wallowing in self-pity for a good 1/4 of the book and that just made me want to beat him.

Mira was a complex character that I really enjoyed. She wasn’t a typical historical heroine. Having grown up rough on the streets, she had common sense and street smarts. I loved her verbal banter with Alec and the way she stood up for herself. In the beginning she’s young and somewhat immature, but as the novel progresses we see her grow and mature. Though she was willing to settle for being Alec’s mistress in the beginning, she eventually realizes she’s worth more than that, and refuses him.

Her inability to trust Alec did bother me, however. Especially since it went on so long. She kept insisting that he wouldn’t want her any longer, once he found out about her past. No matter that he continued to reassure her that he would love her no matter what, she insisted. That got real old real fast. Also, her first instinct when she was upset or afraid was to run. Although I understood this in the beginning, it ended up irritating me the longer it went on.

One other issue I had was Rosalie, Lady Berkeley. She was the exact kind of historical heroine I dislike: Naive and headstrong. She kept putting herself and Mira in compromising positions, because she didn’t consider the consequences of her actions. I found it especially frustrating that she kept secrets from her husband, and made up elaborate plots to do what she wanted without telling him. The clincher for me, however, was when she raced off to the docks, dragging Mira along for the ride, insisting all the while that they were “perfectly safe” and “no harm would come to them”. headesk I seriously doubt I’m going to read Where Passion Leads. If the heroine is like this in her book, I’d be tempted to throw it across the room.

I really did love that the h/h married for love, and that the hero was fully committed once he decided she was his.

Overall this was a stellar novel, especially considering when it was released. The heroine was extremely unconventional in her attitudes and the hero was truly a reformed rake. Despite my issues, I adored it. Highly recommend if you can find a copy.

4 out of 5

This book is OOP from Onyx. You can buy it used here.

four-stars

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