Tag: Sophie Barnes

Booksgiving with Book Binge: Day 20

Posted November 28, 2018 by Rowena in Giveaways | 11 Comments

November is a month of giving and a month of sharing so we had a thought. We’ve been at this book blogging thing for over eleven years now and to show our appreciation for all of you lovely readers taking this journey with us, we’ve got books to give away! We’re making this a month of Booksgiving and we hope you’ll join us.

Today’s giveaway includes the following:

A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole
Tempted by Love by Jennifer Ryan
The Illegitimate Duke by Sophie Barnes

To enter, please use the Gleam widget below. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post, answering the question included in the widget and you are good to go.

Booksgiving with Book Binge, Day 20

What is your favorite book?

Good luck!


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Booksgiving with Book Binge: Day 14

Posted November 20, 2018 by Rowena in Giveaways | 10 Comments

November is a month of giving and a month of sharing so we had a thought. We’ve been at this book blogging thing for over eleven years now and to show our appreciation for all of you lovely readers taking this journey with us, we’ve got books to give away! We’re making this a month of Booksgiving and we hope you’ll join us.

Today’s giveaway includes the following:

Wilde in Love by Eloisa James
The Duke of Her Desire by Sophie Barnes
Tempest by Beverly Jenkins

To enter, please use the Gleam widget below. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post, answering the question included in the widget and you are good to go.

Booksgiving with Book Binge, Day 14

What’s the last song you heard recently that you enjoyed and why?

Good luck!


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Guest Review: His Scandalous Kiss by Sophie Barnes

Posted September 7, 2016 by Tracy in Reviews | 1 Comment

Guest Review: His Scandalous Kiss by Sophie BarnesReviewer: Tracy
His Scandalous Kiss (Secrets at Thorncliff Manor #3) by Sophie Barnes
Series: Secrets at Thorncliff Manor #3
Publisher: Harper Collins, Avon
Publication Date: July 26th 2016
Genres: Historical Romance
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Thorncliff Manor is the perfect setting for a masquerade ball... where the heart’s secret desires are about to be uncovered in this scintillating Regency romance from Sophie Barnes...

Richard Heartly has exiled himself from society since the war, plotting his revenge for a terrible betrayal. A masked ball at Thorncliff Manor is intended to be a brief diversion. Instead, he encounters a fascinating young woman as entranced by the music as he is. He can’t reveal his identity to Lady Mary. But her siren song keeps drawing him back, and their clandestine meetings could be hazardous to his plan—and to her virtue.

Avoiding an unwanted marriage was easy when Lady Mary was ignored by the ton. Thanks to her dazzling appearance at the masquerade, she’s a wallflower no longer. Eligible suitors abound, yet the only man she wants is the brooding, seductive companion who keeps his face hidden. A man who tempts her to disclose her own shocking secret, one that could divide them forever.

Richard was injured while fighting for his country during the Battle of Waterloo.  He had been sent on a mission and had been captured and tortured.  He was disfigured so when he returned home he let people think he was still MIA – even dead.  It was easier than explaining what had happened to him time and again. He’s horrified by his scars and refuses to even see his mother and sisters – only talking to his brother and father.  He’s also determined to ruin the man who he feels was responsible for his capture and torture and will stop at nothing until that is done.

Richard’s family is spending the summer at Thorncliff Manor and the hostess there has a masquerade.  She talks Richard into attending which he does with a cloak and full mask on.  While there he meets Mary.  She at first tells him that her name is Eleanor and he tells her that he is Signor Antonio.  Not knowing who the other is doesn’t deter them from finding a connection with each other through their talk of music and books.  When Richard refuses to identify himself to Mary’s aunt after he dances with her the aunt refuses to let them see each other.

Mary has a huge secret that she keeps from everyone – she sings (there’s more to it than that but I’ll keep that a secret as well) – and in order to practice she goes to a cave that she found on the Thorncliff property.  After Richard had saved Mary from a lecher by the name of Lord Rotridge, Richard is concerned for her safety.  When he spies her from his window heading off into the dark he follows her.  Not only do they end up spending time together (he is still masked) but they find something intriguing under the foundation of Thorncliff.  They continue to meet each other in secret despite her aunts demand otherwise.  Mary eventually gets Richard to take off the mask but when he finds out who she really is and all their secrets come out they may not be able to stay together.

When I first started this book I’m not sure if I just wasn’t into reading a historical romance at the time or not but didn’t get too far into the first chapter and put it down.  It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later that I picked it up again and started it from page one.  I’m SO happy I did!  This was a very sweet romance with a scarred hero and the woman that brings him out of his self-imposed protective shell.

The romance story between Richard and Mary is one that I very much enjoyed.  It consisted of talking between the characters and finding common ground.  It was long glances and shared touches and was just so perfect for the two of them. Mary was almost on the shelf and had decided not to get married.  He, of course, never thought he would leave his room much less meet a woman and fall in love.  He never thought he would reveal himself to anyone but when he finally admits his love for Mary he has to admit to himself that his life is lonely and he hates it as it is.  I loved the dynamic between the H/h and wanted them to work out from the first time they met.

The part of the story where Mary and Richard find this intriguing part of the cave system that she sings in and of course the information they find there was a decent part of the story but I think it was part of the overall series arc.  That said, I hadn’t read the first two books in the series so I was a little lost about why it all mattered, etc.  It was interesting but I didn’t find any entertainment from it as I didn’t have a clue what was going on.

Overall this was a sweet romance.  I loved the characters and the writing and definitely recommend the book.

Rating: 4 out of 5

four-stars


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Review: The Scandal in Kissing an Heir by Sophie Barnes

Posted December 26, 2013 by Tracy in Reviews | 1 Comment

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins

Lady Rebecca is determined to find a husband on her own terms, rather than marry any of the aging suitors her greedy aunt and uncle foist upon her. Her chance comes at the Kingsborough Ball, where she meets several potential grooms…yet no one compares to the dangerously handsome Daniel Neville.

Daniel Neville, notorious rake and heir to the Marquis of Wolvington, is in need of a bride, but finding a lady who’s willing to accept his past, is an entirely different matter. When he spies a stunning woman across the ballroom, Daniel believes he’s found her…until scandal erupts around them. How can he convince Rebecca to take a chance on him…and on the love that could be theirs forever after?

Rebecca is desperate to find a man to marry her that’s not 5o years her senior. Her aunt and uncle want her to marry one of two men who are frankly going to die soon because they’re so old. One is a Duke but a complete lecher that gives her the heebie jeebies and the other is just…old! She crashes the Kingsborough Ball and ends up meeting Daniel Neville who is a total rake. He needs to repair his ways and get married, however, or his uncle will completely cut him off. He certainly doesn’t want that but when he goes looking for a bride he doesn’t expect to find a beauty like Rebecca.

Rebecca is honest with Daniel and tells him of her plight. Daniel doesn’t want her to have to go through that and he certainly doesn’t want to lose her himself. They make a plan and elope but are then ostracized not only from the ton due to the scandal (as her aunt and uncle had already promised her to the lecher Duke and that’s just bad form) but also from his aunt and uncle. His uncle STILL cuts him off as he thinks that eloping with Rebecca is just one more way he’s shirking society and proper etiquette.

What’s really going on is that Daniel is falling in love with Rebecca and she with him. They compliment each other so well and what started off as a convenience ends up a romance. Daniel is almost happy he’s cut off because he’s determined to be the man that Rebecca deserves and to find a way to support her himself. He takes measures to do this but the Duke is not happy that he stole Rebecca and will stop at nothing to get her back.

This story was such a surprise. Yes, it’s a story that I wanted to read but it was so much better than I anticipated. The romance between Daniel and Rebecca was just lovely. I adored reading about them and what they were going through. Daniel, at first, tried to keep their financial situation from Rebecca but he soon came clean and the honesty between them from that point on was so refreshing!

The lecher Duke was just that – lecherous. He was just a vile old man who thought that because he was duke he could get anything he wanted. He was soon proven otherwise and I loved how Daniel and Rebecca showed him that. Yes, Rebecca’s plan to “get” the duke was a bit far-fetched but well done.

This was a great book with romance, laughter, danger and treachery and I enjoyed every minute of it. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Sophie Barnes


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What I Read Last Week

Posted December 17, 2013 by Tracy in Features | 0 Comments

Happy Tuesday!

Yes, this post is going up on Tuesday because I’m seriously hella behind. Things are falling by the wayside as work is wiping me out completely every day. It’s obviously one of the busy seasons here at the church so I’m just trying to keep afloat. I actually only worked half a day yesterday to try and catch up with laundry, housework and completing my holiday decorating. I thought this post was gonna get done at that time but apparently there was just too much to do! lol Crazy.

Anyway, things here are gearing up for Christmas. The kids are so excited about Christmas. We’ll go to my in-laws this Sunday to celebrate as that’s the only time we can all get together. It will be weird on Christmas to just be at home with the hubby and kids. As ALL of my family is all out of state now it’s just us four. I’m sad I won’t see them in person but Skype will be busy that day. 🙂

So….what I read last week:

I started off the week with Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane. A wonderful book about 2 boys who are so very different but find what they need in the other. It was great and I highly recommend it. You can read my review here. 5 out of 5

Love this chicks hair!

Next was Jealous and Freakn’ by Eve Langlais. The story was about a woman who has known her mate was since she was 10 but he thinks he sees her as a sister and refuses to acknowledge her as his mate. Along comes another shifter and lo and behold, he’s her mate as well. Once he gets jealous he finally decides to admit that he’s wanted her for years but thought it was wrong. This was a fun and funny story that I really enjoyed reading. 4 out of 5

Elite by Rachel Van Dyken was a re-read. I wanted to read Elect which is book 2 in the Eagle Elite series but it’s a complete continuation from book 1…which I hadn’t read for a while. I wanted to be completely in the know so…it was re-read time. You can read my review here. 4 out of 5

Elect by Rachel Van Dyken is the continuing story of Trace & Nixon but also adds Chase, Nixon’s cousin into the mix to make a nice little love triangle. I’m not a fan of love triangles but this one was very readable and didn’t drive me batty – yay! 🙂 You can read my full review of the book here. 4 out of 5 

The Scandal in Kissing an Heir by Sophie Barnes is the story of Rebecca who was orphaned and taken in by her aunt and uncle who are horrid. She would do anything to avoid marrying the ancient suitors they have courting her – even fake madness for two years. Now she’s looking for a younger husband and she’s got her eye on Daniel. Daniel HAS to get married according to his uncle or he’ll be cut off. Turns out marriage is the best thing that ever happened to him. Great story. Liked both Rebecca and Daniel a lot. 4 out of 5

Forgiveness: Alek & Rose by Amanda N. Richardson was the story of, you guessed it, Alek and Rose who grew up together and were close friends who were each afraid to stated their true feelings. Then Rose disappears for a year and then comes back to finally tell Alek what’s up, why she left and how she feels about it. The characters were immature at best and Alek had serious anger issues. Rose seemed strong on one hand and then weak at others and I couldn’t get a true handle on her. This one was ok but really not my cuppa. 2 out of 5 (read for Book Binge)

The Valentine’s Arrangement by Kelsie Leverich was about tattoo artist Ronnie who lusts after her soldier client Kale. They start a no strings sexual relationship which quickly turns to love. The love happened rather quickly even though they were parted for months. I guess I thought that because Ronnie didn’t talk to Kale the entire time he was deployed. This was a good one but I did have some issues with it. 3 out of 5

His Teddy Bear by Eve Langlais was about a short chubby bear shifter named Teddy who finds out her mate is big, bad, beautiful wolf shifter, Reece. Reece dates tall, leggy blondes so when he first realizes that Teddy is his mate he’s not thrilled. He then gets to know her, despite Teddy’s best efforts to constantly run away, and finally realizes that its what’s inside that counts. Yes, Reece was an ass but I really liked him by the end of the book. 3 out of 5

 

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Taming a Wild Scot by Rowan Keats

Happy Reading!


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