Traveler - Elaine Fox (Love Spell - Jan 1996)

THE MAN FROM YESTERDAY

With a thriving business and a stalled personal life, Shelby Manning never figured her life was any worse--or better--than the norm. Then a late-night stroll through a Civil War battlefield park led her to a most intriguing stranger. Bloody, confused, and dressed in Union blue, he insisted he had just come from the Battle of Fredericksburg--more than one hundred years in the past.

Maybe Shelby should have dismissed Carter Lindsey as crazy--just another history reenactor taking his game a little too seriously. But there was something compelling in the pull of his eyes, something special in his tender touch. And before she knew it, Shelby found herself swept into a passion like none she'd ever known and willing to defy time itself to keep Carter at her side.

I picked this book up for two reasons.  First, I like time travel books and there aren't many I've read during this time period.  Second, it takes place in Fredericksburg, Virginia, which is where I live.  I'm glad I did, because it was a very well done book. 

When Shelby stumbled across Carter on the battlefield park grounds she couldn't just leave him there.  She was especially concerned by his apparent mental confusion about where/when he was, so she took him home with her.  She then makes sure he gets medical attention and against her boyfriend's recommendation, brings him back to her house after he's released from the hospital.  Though she is a little concerned for herself, there's something about him that makes her want to help him.  

Carter doesn't know what happened.  One moment he's on the battlefield, wishing he were anywhere else, the next he's in a place both familiar and vastly different.  He's grateful for the young woman who has rescued him.  

I loved how real all the characters felt to me.  Shelby's a kindhearted person who can't stand the idea of leaving Carter alone and confused. I really enjoyed that she's a bookstore owner and has a pretty ordinary life.  It's not surprising that she doesn't believe Carter's story of being a Union soldier.  I really liked that it didn't stop her from helping him.  I also liked the way that she stood up to her obnoxious boyfriend when he got so nasty about Carter staying at her house.  I thought that Carter was amazingly calm about what had happened to him.  He did get pretty vehement about not going to the hospital, but considering what Civil War hospitals were like, it's not surprising. I loved his curiosity about everything around him.

The romance between Shelby and Carter was a slow growing one as they got to know each other.  Shelby saw the differences between Carter and her boyfriend, Rory, and realized that she deserved more than she was getting.  She also slowly began to accept that Carter was telling the truth. I loved seeing the way that Carter treated her.  He was so sweet, but also very protective. I also liked his sense of honor, that made him hold back because of his marriage.  I also liked the similarities that were shown between Rory and Carter's wife Meg, both in their attitudes and their actions.  It made the ending even more satisfying.

The time travel itself was really good.  The trouble that Shelby had believing it was logical. I enjoyed the gradual growing of her belief, and the final confirmation that really blew her away.  Carter's reactions to things like riding in a car were fun to see.  His description of the Battle of Fredericksburg was incredibly vivid and moving, as was what he said about the day to day life of a soldier.  The investigation they did in trying to find any descendants of Carter's was interesting, especially with what they found out.

The only complaint I have is that I would have liked to see more of what happened after Carter rescued Shelby from the fire.  I wanted to see Carter's reaction to what she found out, if they found the jewels, and if Rory had to face consequences for what he did. Oh yeah - the cover is awful, but typical of when the book was published...

Christmas With the Mustang Man - Stella Bagwell (HSE #2159 - Dec 2011)

Series: Men of the West (Book 23)

She'd come for the mustangs, Dallas Donovan told herself. Just a quick visit to Boone Barnett's Nevada ranch. Then her truck's engine seized and she stayed the night in the rugged, off-the-charts sexy Boone's home. Had pizza with his daughter, waited for the mechanic -- and woke up to a snowfall keeping her in the reclusive rancher's grasp for another few days.

Boone didn't believe in Christmas or miracles or a woman who understood his love for this wild untamed land. Yet now Dallas brought decorations and laughter and joy to his home. But what would happen when the snow melted and Christmas was over...?

Good book with two people who have some baggage to unload before they can find a future together.  Dallas has come to Boone's ranch to buy some horses for her equine therapy business.  When her truck breaks down she has to stay the night with Boone and his daughter, which gets extended to several days when they have to wait for a part for the truck.

Dallas is attracted to the sexy rancher, but doubts the feelings that are growing in her.  She was engaged a few years earlier to a man who broke it off right before the wedding.  He had been more interested in becoming part of her wealthy family than in being married to her.  Now she doubts her own judgment when it comes to men.  When she first came to the ranch all she could see was how isolated and desolate it seemed to be.  But being with Boone and Haley she starts to see the beauty of it. I loved seeing the connection that Dallas and Haley had right away.  The sparks that were there between Dallas and Boone were strong and I loved seeing their connection grow.

Boone and his daughter had been by themselves for a long time.  His ex-wife had left when Haley was small because she couldn't handle life on the ranch. He has also had longstanding issues with his father who had also had problems with life on the ranch.  He doesn't date because he has no plans to ask another woman to make her life there.  He loves his daughter but doesn't realize until Dallas comes how much Haley misses having a woman in her life.  He's surprised by how quickly Haley takes to Dallas.  He's also surprised by how quickly he starts to feel things for her too.  She starts to bring life and light back into his life and he would love to ask her to stay.  But Boone doesn't think that she would be happy for long if she were so far from her family and friends and refuses to ask her.

Both of them were letting their pasts blind them to the possibilities of their futures.  Dallas made her leap of faith sooner, but couldn't convince Boone that she knew what she wanted.  I loved the talking to she got from her grandmother that motivated her to go after what she wanted.  Boone was so afraid of ruining Dallas's life that he couldn't see what a difference her love made.  It isn't until Haley forces him to have a long overdue conversation with his father that he sees the mistakes that he has made.  I loved the ending and the decisions that were made to enable them all to be happy.

Why Dukes Say I Do - Manda Collins (St Martins - Aug 2013)

Series: Wicked Widows (Book 1)

Even in London society--where everyone knows what you did last season--you never know who's next in line to walk down the aisle...

TRUE LOVE IS OFTEN FOUND

With her whirlwind social life in London, Lady Isabella Wharton has little interest in the customs of the country. But when her godmother asks her to pay a visit to her bachelor grandson in Yorkshire, Isabella can't refuse. It behooves her to please the old dowager, since she harbors one of Isabella's most scandalous secrets. So off she goes to see the newly-titled--and notoriously rustic--Duke of Ormond...

WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

Trevor Carey doesn't care about what goes on behind ballroom doors. He is content with the simple life--and isn't ashamed to admit it to a society flirt like Lady Isabella. But the country air brings out a different side of Isabella--one full of longing and passion. Can her sophistication be hiding a desire for love? When a blackmailer from the city arrives to threaten Isabella, Trevor will shield her from harm--even travel to London. Can the duke tackle the "ton" on Isabella's behalf ...and manage to keep her all to himself?

Excellent beginning to the series.  Isabella, her sister Perdita, and their friend Georgiana, start the book by being present at a death.  Perdita's husband, the Duke, is an abusive man and is holding a knife at her throat.  Isabella and Georgiana are trying to get him to stop. Georgiana shoots him in the shoulder and he falls on the knife.  He's dead and they don't know if it was the bullet or the knife that did it, so the death could be accidental or murder.

Isabella gets stuck going to Yorkshire to try to talk her godmother's grandson, the new Duke, into coming to London.  The godmother knows what happened that night and uses that knowledge to force Isabella's cooperation.  Trevor has no interest in doing as his grandmother wishes.  His father was disowned by his parents when he married "beneath" him and he has no intention of doing what she wants.

The first meeting between the two doesn't go very well.  Isabella's carriage has broken down and Trevor is the one who happens along.  He sees Isabella as a social climber or someone who wants something from the duke.  She sees him as a country farmer who is neglecting his responsibilities. Because it will take at least a week for the repairs to her carriage they come to an agreement about her stay. She will spend time with Trevor as he goes about his activities so she can see his point that he needs to be where he is.  In return he will go to London for a short time to settle things with his grandmother.

Almost immediately both Isabella and Trevor discover that the other isn't quite what they thought.  Isabella discovers that Trevor is a man who loves his sisters and is devoted to doing his best for his lands and his people.  In spite of the misery of her marriage and her bad experiences with her father, she senses that Trevor is a man she can trust.  As she goes around his lands with him, Trevor gets to know Isabella and realizes that she is a woman with a soft heart who has learned to hide it.  He's impressed with the way she handles his sisters and the intelligence she shows in everything from land management to politics.  The romance that develops between them is slow growing but once it starts to take off it is intense.  That heat that sparks also pushes them into a marriage that they hadn't planned but both were satisfied with.  Though neither admits to love at the time, it is obvious that the feelings are there.

When Trevor finds out that Isabella is receiving threatening notes and then there are two attempts on her life, his protective instincts take over.  He is determined that nothing happen to her while she is under his care.  I enjoyed seeing the way that he took charge but still gave Isabella the freedom that she needed.  There were some interesting twists and turns to the mystery of who was behind the threats. I did figure that out before the end, but there is still some question as to who else is involved.  As the other two ladies still need to have their stories told, I expect that there will be more trouble ahead.

Besides the romance and the mystery, there are parts of the book that are just plain fun.  Trevor is a man who loves his two sisters, but he is also at something of a loss at how to deal with them at times.  The oldest sister is seventeen but he doesn't want to admit that she is growing up.  It was great fun to see his reaction to her in a more adult dress. There are some wonderful interactions between him and the two girls.  His friend Lucien Blakemore also has some great parts where he gives Trevor a hard time about his feelings for Isabella. I also enjoyed seeing Isabella school Trevor on just what it is like to be a woman in their society. One of my favorite parts was their arrival in London and breaking the news to the grandmother and others that they are married.  I did wonder about the extreme reaction that the grandmother had and wonder if she's more involved in the trouble than I thought at first.  I am looking forward to the other two books to see how it all turns out.

The Bodyguard - Lena Diaz (HI #1496 - May 2014)

SHE HAD NO ONE TO FIGHT FOR HER -- UNTIL ONE POWERFUL BODYGUARD REFUSED TO LEAVE HER SIDE

Her perfect marriage was a sham and Caroline Ashton had the physical and emotional wounds to prove it. With nothing left to lose, Caroline is ready to walk away -- and hires Luke Dawson as her personal bodyguard. But before he can do more than secure her a safe house, Caroline stumbles upon the body of the man she'd fought day and night to escape. Now, confronted with fears beyond anything she ever imagined, Luke is the only man she can trust. Putting her life in someone else's hands isn't easy, but Caroline knows survival never is. Besides, Luke's proven himself to be a worthy protector -- one who'll stop at nothing to see she never suffers again….

Excellent story with an incredibly strong heroine.  Caroline has spent the last five years in hell.  The man she fell in love with turned out to be an abuser of the worst kind.  She has been kept prisoner in her own home, every aspect of her life controlled, from what she wears to what she eats.  She's allowed out of the house once a week to run two errands and timed to make sure she doesn't make any other stops.  After months of planning she is finally ready to get away.  Still in fear of her life, she goes to the first security agency she finds in the phone book and hires Luke to be her bodyguard.  When they arrive at the house she has leased, they find her husband's body and suddenly she is suspected of his murder.

Luke was surprised when she walked into his office because he knows that a rival security firm provides protection for the Ashtons.  But he sees the fear in her eyes as she asks for his help and he has no choice but to help her.  Luke is with her every step of the way as she deals with those who believe that she's the one who killed her husband, and is there to protect her when she is attacked.  

One of the things I liked best about the book is that it felt so real.  The descriptions of what Caroline went through were horrific, but completely believable.  I also liked the strength that Caroline showed, first in her determination to escape, then in her need to overcome what she had been through.  I loved the way that she had an instinctive trust in Luke and his ability to protect her, and also that he would not hurt her himself.  I loved Luke's gentleness with her and how he showed her the respect that her husband never did.  Just being there for her gives her the strength she needs to start to take control of her life.

The mystery of just who killed Richard Ashton is very well done.  There were so many twists and turns that the investigation took that I wasn't sure until the end just who was responsible.  Every person had equally strong motives for the murder.  Just when I thought I had it figured out something would happen to change my mind.  By the time the end came all I could do was hope that Luke would be in time to save Caroline.

I also loved the realism that didn't have things be all sunshine and roses for Luke and Caroline at the end.  She admits that she needed time away from him in order to get herself together, but that she's still "a mess" and probably will be for a long time. I also liked that they still feel that their love is worth the risk.

The Marshal's Witness - Lena Diaz (HI #1405 - Feb 2013)

EVERYONE HAS SECRETS. HERS MAY GET THEM KILLED.

Breaking protocol and going on the run with a protected witness wasn't in U.S. Marshal Ryan Jackson's plans. And even though Jessica Delaney's testimony nearly put away a crime boss, Ryan can't afford to trust her. Still, the duty-dedicated marshal will do whatever it takes to protect Jessica and uncover the mole leaking her new identity. But staying seconds ahead of the ruthless killers on their trail is easier than keeping himself safe from Jessica's unexpected vulnerability and irresistible determination. Now, as the net around them tightens, Ryan's deepest loss may be the one danger he never anticipated.

Very good book with plenty of action and suspense, making it very hard to put down.  Jessica has been in Witness Protection for a year as she prepares for and then testifies against her former boss.  Unfortunately, his trial ends up in a mistrial, putting her in further danger, and sending her into Witness Security with a new name and location.  Ryan is one of the marshals assigned to protect her, and the only one to survive an explosion the last day of the trial.  When she is relocated yet again, Ryan is with her for added protection until she is settled.  He's not happy about it as he considers her just slightly less of a criminal than her boss, since she was his accountant for years.  Jessica isn't any too fond of him either, as she can see his contempt for her.

When someone tries to kill them both the first night in the new location, Ryan realizes there must be a leak in the program.  He takes Jessica on the run in the mountains as he tries to protect her from those who are after them.  As they make their way through the woods, he is impressed by her determination. He also finds himself attracted to her in spite of what he believes she has done.  Ryan's feelings start to change as he learns more about her and what really happened.  His protectiveness becomes more than just part of his job.

Jessica's early life was spent going from one foster home to the next, teaching her to depend only on herself.  The accounting job she got right out of college was a good one, until she discovered that there were some shady things going on.  It took awhile but she was able to get evidence to the FBI, but not until she saw her best friend murdered.  She's fine with going into WitSec, but dealing with the judgmental Ryan isn't pleasant.  When he saves her life again and they have to go on the run, she is forced to trust him.  

I loved the interactions between them as they made their way through the mountains.  Ryan is used to being obeyed without question and is frustrated by Jessica's constant questioning of him.  Jessica is an intelligent woman and refuses to put up with being left out of the loop.  I loved seeing the attraction between them develop in spite of their resistance.  I also liked seeing them getting to know each other and discovering that their initial judgments may not have been entirely accurate.  Ryan slowly lets go of his distrust, but is still resisting his feelings toward her.  He knows she'll be going back into hiding and he can't go with her without giving up everything important to him.  I liked seeing Jessica get Ryan to open up to her about things that happened in his past.  She also saw how important his family is to him which only made her care more about him.  I loved seeing her stand up to him when she thought he was disregarding something important.  Her growing feelings for him cause her to make a few reckless decisions in an attempt to help him, but they turn out ok.  By the time the end of the book comes she knows she loves him, but doesn't expect him to give up everything for someone like her.  I really liked the ending.

The suspense and action itself was fantastic.  Ryan's determination to keep Jessica safe is solid.  He is also set on finding out who it is that has been leaking the information that has put them in danger.  It seems like they just can't get ahead of it.  There were several twists and turns to get them to safety and finding out who the bad guy was.  I did figure it out before the end, but it was still very well done.  The final confrontation was intense, but also had a couple light moments in it.  

Perfect Partners - Jayne Ann Krentz (Pocket - Apr 1992)

SHE JUST INHERITED HIS COMPANY

HE WANTS TO GET IT BACK

EXECUTIVE ACTION: A TAKEOVER OF THE HEART

Midwestern librarian Letitia Thornquist didn't have the right stuff to run Thornquist Gear, Inc. That was the bottom-line opinion of Joel Blackstone, the seasoned CEO who had built the small Seattle sporting goods store into an industry giant. But Letty's rich Uncle Charlie willed her the company, and now she was bubbling with enthusiasm to have Joel, a perfect mentor, show her the ropes.

Teaching her the business was all Joel grudgingly planned to do ...until the sensuous curves under Letty's navy suit and the unabashed desire in her wide, innocent eyes left him longing for a personal kind of merger. Soon his sizzling kisses convinced her that she wasn't in Kansas anymore. But no matter how skilled Joel was in the art of love, Letty knew she was at risk in his arms. Behind his tough facade she sensed a world of hurt that cried out for her warmth and understanding. She realized the "L" word might never be spoken if trust didn't make them perfect partners 9 to 5...and in the loving after-hours of midnight to dawn.

Fun book as both Letty and Joel go through some emotional growth.  Letty has been a small town college librarian for the past several years.  When her Uncle Charlie leaves her his sporting goods company, she decides it's time for a change.  She quits her job, breaks things off with her cheating fiance, and heads for Seattle to run the company.  Joel had an agreement with his boss that Charlie would sell him the company, as Joel was the one who took it from a little store to a major company.  But Charlie died before they could do it and now Joel is stuck with a woman who wants him to teach her what to do.

Letty is pretty naive as she thinks that she can step in with her ability to research how to do anything, plus getting Joel to teach her what to do.  She's made the decision because she needs a change.  She feels that she's been going through life more as an observer than a participant and this is what she needs to shake her up.  She doesn't seem to really understand how furious Joel is that she's basically stolen the company from him and expects him to be just fine with teaching her.  She has a lot of confidence that she will be able to handle things just fine.  Where she is lacking confidence is in her personal life.  She caught her fiance cheating with one of his grad students, which he blamed on her poor performance in bed. She's "read articles" that some women just don't do well that way and thinks she's one of them.  She doesn't expect the sizzle that she feels around Joel and wants to keep things purely professional between them.

In spite of her apparent ditziness, I loved the way that Letty had some real ability to contribute to the business.  Joel does his best to keep her involvement limited, but she finds a way to get involved.  Her tent raising efforts with their new line was a perfect example, as she showed Joel where some mistakes had been made with the tent instructions.  She was not going to back down in her opinions even though Joel was doing his best to intimidate her.  She also had strong opinions about the takeover that Joel had planned and she wasn't going to just sit back and let him run it all.

Joel had gotten involved in the business from the very beginning when he was hired to work there.  Letty's uncle wasn't a great businessman as  he'd rather be fishing.  So whenever Joel made a suggestion, Charlie told him to do whatever he felt was best, and soon the business was thriving.  He had great plans that came to a halt with Charlie's death.  He was stunned by Letty's plans and furious that she wouldn't just do what she was told.  He decided the easiest thing to do was humor her by letting her think she was doing important things, but he kept her limited in what she was actually exposed to.  He especially wanted to keep her away from his takeover plans for a small company in his hometown.  Joel is bent on revenge against the owner of that company and plans to acquire it and dismantle it.  He holds that owner responsible for his father's death, a death that has haunted him for fifteen years.  He's not happy when Letty finds out about it and tries to interfere.

Joel is also attracted to Letty and has no problem with the idea of sleeping with her.  His attraction takes him by surprise because she isn't like anyone he's ever been involved with before.  In spite of his frustration with her, he is also amused and fascinated by her.  When he finds out about her ex-fiance's opinion of her sexuality he tries to let Letty know it isn't her, that he ex is the one with the problem.  I loved seeing the two of them as they gave in to the attraction.  Joel gave Letty the confidence she needed to see that there was nothing wrong with her as a woman.  Letty gave Joel the kind of care for him as a man that he had never had from anyone else.  

She also got him to tell her just why he was so intent on destroying that other company.  It took some real work on her part and the ability to break through his walls to get him to see that he could destroy the owner without destroying the company.  I loved the way that she kept after him until she could get him to see things the way she did.

I had a lot of fun seeing the way that Letty was more capable than anyone thought she was.  I also had fun seeing her deal with her ex when he showed up and tried to take things over.  I could sense her building frustration with him and the way he totally ignored what she said, and loved the restaurant scene where it all boiled over.  There was one more scene with him later where she really made her point with him.

Joel had a lot of baggage that he'd been dragging around since he left his hometown.  Once Letty got involved in his plans, he ended up having to face a lot of things he had been ignoring.  On their visit to the town I loved seeing the way that Letty supported him but still didn't let him run roughshod over her.  I liked seeing how he was so great with Letty once he realized how badly her ex had treated her.  It was also fun to see him actually start to listen to some of the things she had to say about the business.

I liked the whole takeover part and how Letty's influence made such a change in Joel.  I also enjoyed seeing her look at different things than Joel did and how it added to the overall picture.  There were times I wasn't sure how that was going to turn out, especially with the past Joel had with the owner's daughter.  Things got kind of intense when Joel put the plans in motion.  It was great to see the teamwork that made everything work out at the end.

It was great to see Letty's confidence in herself grow as she learned more about the business.  There were a couple great scenes where that confidence enabled her to stand up to Joel in ways he really didn't expect.  I also liked seeing how Joel finally started to accept that there were things that Letty could do for the business that he couldn't, and that maybe they could end up being perfect partners after all.

Between a Rake and a Hard Place - Connie Mason & Mia Harlow (Sourcebooks Casablanca - Jan 2014)

Series: Regency Rakes (Book 3)

Lady Serena's List of Forbidden Pleasures

Attend an exclusively male club.

Smoke a cigar.

Have a fortune told by gypsies.

Dance the scandalous waltz.

Sir Jonah Sharp thinks Lady Serena Osbourne will be just like any other debutante, and seducing her will be one of the easiest services he's ever done for the Crown. Then he catches her wearing trousers and a mustache in his gentleman's club and she demands he teach her to smoke a cigar. But what will truly be Jonah's undoing is finding out he's an item on her list too, which makes him determined to bring her all the forbidden pleasures she can handle.

Fun book to read.  Serena is one of several young women in line to become the wife of one of the royal princes.  While she's not excited about the idea she knows her duty to the family and will do so if necessary.  However, she's got a bucket list of things she wants to do before she's trapped in marriage, if she can manage it without getting caught.  She starts out by disguising herself as a man and sneaking into Boodles gentlemen's club, but is discovered by Jonah.  Rather than give her away, he helps her escape before she is unmasked.  

Jonah has been watching her for several days.  He is being blackmailed into stopping any chance she has of becoming a royal bride. He initially thinks she's like all the other debutantes, but soon realizes that she is smart and adventurous.  He finds himself being talked into helping her with her list.

I loved Serena and Jonah together. They have great chemistry that builds as the book goes on. They also have some great conversations that show just how well suited they are for each other. Serena is willing to do what her father wants, but she also wants to live a little before she does.  Her initial meeting with Jonah shows her that she can trust him with her secrets.  I loved seeing her surprise him with her list and what she wants help with. Jonah is conflicted. He knows what he has to do in order to prevent scandal from ruining his family.  But he is fascinated by Serena and her zest for life. He wants to help her with her list, any of which would ruin her if found out, but finds himself wanting to protect her from scandal, not cause it.

As the two of them spend time together they get closer. The love is a relatively slow growing one. Serena sees an honorable man who seems to be haunted by something that isn't letting him be happy. She also finds herself thinking about him far more than is wise for someone in her position.  Her feelings for Jonah are growing and the idea of a royal marriage is losing its appeal by the day. I loved seeing her get Jonah to open up to her and how much she wanted to relieve his pain.  Jonah's work for the government has worn him out.  He's not so sure anymore that everything he did was for the better and it is eating at his soul.  As he gets to know Serena he starts to care for her and doesn't want to cause her harm.  I loved the way he did everything he could to help her with her list (and then some!) without risking her reputation.  His love for her really shows in the way he wants her to make her decision without any pressure from him.

This also concludes the ongoing mystery through all three books.  We finally learn the story behind the battle that has created the problem for the three heroes.  The bad guy is unmasked and stopped through a very interesting twist in the plot.  The final confrontation was very good and I liked the way it turned out, especially Serena's part and what she said.