Forbidden (Old West #1) by Beverly Jenkins

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USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins returns with the first book in a breathtaking new series set in the Old West

Rhine Fontaine is building the successful life he's always dreamed of—one that depends upon him passing for White. But for the first time in years, he wishes he could step out from behind the façade. The reason: Eddy Carmichael, the young woman he rescued in the desert. Outspoken, defiant, and beautiful, Eddy tempts Rhine in ways that could cost him everything . . . and the price seems worth paying.

Eddy owes her life to Rhine, but she won't risk her heart for him. As soon as she's saved enough money from her cooking, she'll leave this Nevada town and move to California. No matter how handsome he is, no matter how fiery the heat between them, Rhine will never be hers. Giving in for just one night might quench this longing. Or it might ignite an affair as reckless and irresistible as it is forbidden . . . 

Source: borrowed from Hoopla audio

It's taken me this long to read my first book by Ms. Bev. It should've happened sooner but I'm glad to finally have at least one of her many books under my belt. 

Eddy is a free black woman and she has ambitions for herself to make it West to open her own restaurant. On her way there, she's robbed in the middle of the desert and abandoned. Rhine finds her on the verge of death and brings her back to his place so she can receive treatment and recuperate. When Eddy finally comes to she's shocked by Rhine's kindness and generosity but also a little uncomfortable because not only is he a man, he's white. Rhine, a saloon owner, has been passing as white ever since he was freed. He hasn't forgotten where he came from but understood that he could do more for his people by passing as white and quietly making headway for them. Being politically active, he works diligently to better the lives of other blacks in his community. He's also very much engaged to be married to Natalie, daughter of one of the town's most important families. Rhine is already influential but joining with Natalie's family will only increase his stature thereby garnering him more influence that he can use to improve life for the town's black citizens. Only his best friend knows his secret history but Eddy with her demure charms and incredible confidence is making him seriously reconsider everything his life is built on. He wants to be with her but he would have to reveal the truth to everyone and risk losing all that he has gained, including his political influence. Would he rather be with someone with substance whom he loves and respects or in a marriage of convenience with someone who looks down on anyone she considers inferior?

The romance in Forbidden was sweet and I like how Jenkins gradually built it up to the point that the sexual tension between Rhine and Eddy was so unbearable that they had to do something about it soon. Oh my gosh, she wrote those stolen moments between them so well! Rhine is a gentleman and courted her and that had me swooning. Eddy's self-assurance and pride in her work makes her an admirable character. The creative dishes she'd whip up had me wishing I could taste her cooking for real. I was also drawn in by her generosity and kind nature. Whenever I pictured her, I saw her with a wide smile for anyone, brightening their day. 

Aside from Eddy and Rhine's romance, I enjoyed the bits of historical context that were dropped here and there giving me a better sense of the current events of that time period and how, even after the Civil War, there was still much work to do. It was bittersweet actually because in this story Rhine and Eddy's friends had so much hope and trust that things were starting to get better but as a reader to know that the struggle would continue on for years ... like I said, bittersweet. There's no getting used to the ugly side of human beings and I was worried for what that meant for Rhine and Eddy moving forward. Thankfully, they're strong individuals who don't scare easily. 

Ms. Bev is a wonderful storyteller and Forbidden was not only an enchanting read but also for me, an educational one. I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in this series - Breathless and Tempest. 

~ Bel

The Other Miss Bridgerton Blog Tour

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…?

The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Series A Bridgertons Prequel

Genre Adult Historical Romance

Publisher Avon Books

Publication Date November 20, 2018

Amazon  Bridgertons Series on Amazon   Avon Romance Barnes & Noble

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Excerpt

He motioned with his arm, urging her a few more steps forward. “Careful,” he murmured.

Poppy looked to her toes. The deck came to an abrupt halt in front of her, its elevation dropping by several feet.

The captain hopped down. “The beakhead, my lady,” he said with a gallant wave to the triangular deck that formed the pointy front of the Infinity. He reached up and placed his hands on her hips to help her down.

But when she was steady, he didn’t let go.

“This is as far forward as one can stand on deck,” he told her.

She pointed to a spot a few feet ahead. “What about—”

“As one can stand safely on deck,” he amended. He adjusted their position so that he was standing behind her. “Now close your eyes.”

“But then I can’t see the stars.”

“You can open them later.”

 She tilted her head to the left, right, and back again, as if to say, Oh, very well, but she closed her eyes.

“Now tilt your head up. Not all the way, just a bit.”

She did, and maybe it was that motion, or maybe it was just because she’d closed her eyes, but she felt instantly off-balance, as if something far greater than the ocean had stolen her equilibrium.

 The captain’s hands tightened on her hips. “What do you feel?” he asked, his lips coming close to her ear.

“The wind.”

“What else?” She swallowed. Licked her lips.

“The salt in the air.”

“What else?”

“The motion, the speed.”

He moved his mouth closer. “What else?”

And then she said the one thing that had been true from the beginning.

“You.”

JULIA QUINN started writing her first book one month after finishing college and has been tapping away at her keyboard ever since. The New York Times bestselling author of more than two dozen novels for Avon Books, she is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and is one of only sixteen authors ever to be inducted in the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

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A Hope Divided (Loyal League #2) by Alyssa Cole

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The Civil War has turned neighbor against neighbor--but for one scientist spy and her philosopher soldier, war could bind them together . . . 

For three years of the War Between the States, Marlie Lynch has helped the cause in peace: with coded letters about anti-Rebel uprisings in her Carolina woods, tisanes and poultices for Union prisoners, and silent aid to fleeing slave and Freeman alike. Her formerly enslaved mother's traditions and the name of a white father she never knew have protected her--until the vicious Confederate Home Guard claims Marlie's home for their new base of operations in the guerilla war against Southern resistors of the Rebel cause.

Unbeknowst to those under her roof, escaped prisoner Ewan McCall is sheltering in her laboratory. Seemingly a quiet philosopher, Ewan has his own history with the cruel captain of the Home Guard, and a thoughtful but unbending strength Marlie finds irresistible.

When the revelation of a stunning family secret places Marlie's freedom on the line, she and Ewan have to run for their lives into the hostile Carolina night. Following the path of the Underground Railroad, they find themselves caught up in a vicious battle that could dash their hopes of love--and freedom--before they ever cross state lines.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


Earlier this year I read and fell in love with An Extraordinary Union. Its story introduced me to an aspect of the Civil War that I was unfamiliar with - that of the men and women, including the freed slaves who risked their lives and freedom to serve as spies during the war. A Hope Divided follows in that vein with Malcolm's brother, Ewan who as a spy has been pretending to be a prisoner of war so that he can deliver secrets to the Loyal League. It's at prison that he makes Marlie's acquaintance. Marlie is unique in that she's half black and half white and has been recognized by her white family, to a certain extent. She has grown up with privileges that no slave could ever dream of but she has never forgotten who she is. With the advantages that she has, she covertly works for the Loyal League using her reputation as a healer to protect her. When Ewan's dramatic escape from prison is botched, Marlie offers to hide him away in the safest place possible: her home. Specifically a hidden room within her bedroom. It's a temporary solution that puts them both in danger but that's what they have to do until Ewan is healthy enough to make another escape

A Hope Divided is striking in that it presents a series of ironies that only highlight the the evils of bigotry. For example, Ewan is a white man trapped in a room, forced to hide from the Confederate soldiers. Marlie, is a free Black woman who can roam around town yet will forever be trapped by the colour of her skin. The book also looks at the complicated dynamics of a family that includes a person of colour -- how they address each other or refer to one another in the company of others, how they convey their feelings and ultimately, how they really see each other while never acknowledging their connection out loud, not even in the privacy of their own home. I thought that was an enlightening aspect of Marlie's story. When the Confederate Home Guard decides to make her house homebase, Marlie's security in her own home is upended. She's no longer as free has she has been. It also put her and Ewan in harm's way and they have no choice but to escape. And here we see Marlie as the healer that she is, someone who is always looking out for others even if it means putting herself in danger. Ewan, who's more philosopher than fighter, now has the resolve to truly fight for everything important to him.

My favourite part of the story is the connection that Ewan and Marlie Have. Both find intellectual stimulation in each other's company, engaging in lively philosophical conversations and debates. There is, of course, the physical attraction as well. My least favourite part is the language and abuse hurled at Marlie and other slaves. It's an unfortunate part of the story and history but it's unsettling to read nonetheless. I can't even begin to fathom treating someone that way and thinking a person inferior because of their colour. 

I enjoyed the suspense in A Hope Divided and that both Ewan and Marlie eagerly aspire to live up to their cause despite the odds against them. This series has been a great way for me to gain insight and learn more about the time period. Definitely worth the read!

~ Bel

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn

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For the first time in print, New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn presents a collection of "second epilogues" to her Bridgerton series, previously published as e-originals, plus a new bonus Bridgerton novella: "Violet in Bloom," a short story in which we finally meet Edmund Bridgerton.


Review:

Like most readers I want to know what happens after the Happy Ever After.  Life doesn’t end after a declaration of love.  In fact, I would argue that life and love get even better after the fade to black.  But we rarely (if ever) see that in romance.  And really, I can understand why authors avoid it.  Because, for all the good that happens after the Happy Ever After, some bad things inevitably happen as well.  And why would authors want to put their babies through more pain and suffering than they already have?

It would seem Julia Quinn was up for a challenge.  Her readers begged and she delivered.  And she delivered in a way that only she could.  In The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After, Julia Quinn provides a 2nd Epilogue to each of her Bridgerton novels.  They take place anywhere from immediately after the original novel (Romancing Mister Bridgerton) to 20 years later (It’s In His Kiss).  And they don’t necessarily star the original hero and heroine.  The Epilogue to To Sir Philip, With Love stars an older Amanda Crane (Eloise’s step-daughter) and An Offer from a Gentleman stars Sophie’s step-sister, Posey.  But you still get to experience ALL the Bridgertons in all of their chaotic and loving glory.

As you know, my love of the Bridgertons knows no bounds; which means I loved all of these short stories.  Even the 2nd epilogue to my least favorite Bridgerton book (An Offer From a Gentleman) was absolutely lovely and had me smiling.  There are some sad and/or bittersweet moments.  Particularly in the epilogue to On the Way to the Wedding.  Who would have ever guessed that the adorable little Gregory from The Duke and I would grow up to find such strength in his annoying little sister?   And the most hilarious of all, the epic Pall Mall battle between the Viscount and his Lady Bridgerton in the 2nd Epilogue to The Viscount Who Loved Me.

The gem of this compilation, however, is Violet in Bloom: A Novella.  Yes, Violet Bridgerton, the mother of the eight boisterous Bridgerton children, gets her own story.  And Quinn doesn’t hold back with this one.  We learn Violet’s entire story.  From the time she is 8 years old and is trying to exact revenge on “that horrid” Edmund Bridgerton until sixty-seven years later when she is visiting Aubrey Hall to visit with her eight children, 33 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  But I will warn you dear reader.  If you love Violet Bridgerton as so many of us do, this story will make you smile and then ugly cry and then smile again.  Because this is her entire story and we KNOW Violet is a widow.  We KNOW that Edmund Bridgerton was her one true love.  We KNOW how he died and how it affected Violet and their children.  And knowing all that didn’t stop Ms. Quinn from sharing THAT moment with us.  That heartbreaking moment when the loveliest of all mothers in romance history loses one of the things she loves the most.

So, needless to say, if you love Julia Quinn and you love the Bridgertons (and you haven’t already read the 2nd Epilogues when they were released digitally), then this is a must read.  And you know what, this is a must buy even if you have read the Epilogues already.  Because Violet’s story alone is worth the cover price.

Nat

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

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Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for... well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret... and fears she doesn't know him at all. 

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. 

But when Colin returns to London from a trip aboard, he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same, especially Penelope Featherington, the girl haunting his dreams! 

And when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide... is she his biggest threat, or his promise of a happy ending?


Review:

I have been reluctant to review Julia Quinn’s book here.  Why, you might ask?  It’s not that there is anything wrong with them.  Quite the opposite actually.  I am absolutely smitten with Julia Quinn and all her stories.  I don’t remember which novel of hers that I read first.  I do know remember that it was a Bridgerton book.  And I do remember that I after reading it I began a quest to collect every single one of her books.  A quest that I am not ashamed to say I have successfully completed.  So my love of Julia won over the reluctance which means I am now going to bore you with all the reasons I love Mr. Bridgerton.

Not Lord Anthony Bridgerton (The Viscount That Loved Me)

Not Mr. Benedict Bridgerton (An Offer From a Gentleman)

No, I love Mr. Colin Bridgerton.  Because he is a mere third son with no prospects other than a nice income bestowed upon him by his eldest brother, the viscount.  And really, I can forgive the over indulgent income because who wants to read a story about the struggles of the poor aristocracy?  It is so much more fun to have a wealthy hero or heroine so you can focus on the love story that is in play.  At least that is what I think.

I also love Mr. Colin Bridgerton for all the same reasons Miss Penelope Featherington loves Mr. Colin Bridgerton.  And that is because he is funny and most importantly, he is kind.  Oh, we all know how much I love those NICE boys.  Or in this case, men.

Miss Penelope Featherington is a wallflower.  Her wit and intelligence are hidden from the public by her significant insecurities.  She has been bullied by the ton for not being pretty enough or popular enough.  The Bridgertons have been the one and only family to provide her true friendship and affection and have give her a ray of light in an otherwise dreary world of balls and dinners that she’d rather not attend.  Finally, at the “old” age of almost 28, Penelope finally has found some relief in that she is not expected to dance and flirt and look for a husband amongst a bunch of people that have never been kind to her.  She is content to sit back and laugh and chat with the other chaperones while her younger sister enjoys her own season.

Mr. Colin Bridgerton is home from yet another trip to Europe.  But this return is turning out to be much different than his other visits home.  His sister’s best friend, Miss Penelope Featherington has always been kind but she has also always just been there.  Like another sibling in his already large family of seven brothers and sisters (not counting him).  But after conversing with her at a ball, Colin is wondering why he has never realized how much fun Penelope is.  She is smart, funny and an all out joy to be around.  He finds himself not only thinking of her constantly but also ashamed of himself for not being mature enough recognize her beauty sooner.  On top of that, Colin is also struggling with his own insecurities and the lack of focus that has been troubling him for years.

If you can’t tell, this is one of my favorite Quinn novels.  I love this story because the issues these two characters have are so relatable.  Even in a modern age.  No, we don’t live in a world where a woman has to marry to have an imagined feeing of independence – thank God.  But we can all relate to feelings of insecurity and self doubt when it comes to life and relationships.   I also love that our heroine isn’t a young debutante that has barely reached twenty years of age.  Not that it’s uncommon to have an older heroine in historical romance.  It is just nice to read about two mature individuals that have unexpectedly found love in each other.

So obviously I recommend this to anyone that likes historical romance. BUT….even though I sit here and give it a glowing review, I will have to ask that you read the Bridgerton novels in order.  I know, I know.  How rude to ask that when I am not reviewing them in order.  And you know what?   You are right.  Go ahead.  I give you permission to read this one first.  There is a pretty big spoiler in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.  It won’t spoil the first three books.  In fact it might enhance them knowing a secret that every Bridgerton (along with the rest of London) is dying to know.

Nat