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review 2016-04-21 01:52
Deja vu...
Land Of Dreams (Harlequin Historical) - Cheryl St.John

I started reading this and quickly realized I'd read it before. When, I don't know, and it was either a library book or from a book swap my husband's grandmother used to participate in. I'd guess at the time I was still at that stage where a character had to really piss me off for me not to like a book.

 

It's...a different approach I guess. The h is 29, the H's age not given. His sister and her husband have died, their little girl dropped in an orphanage, and carted off on an adoption train. His and the h's lives intersect because she's taken the child in temporarily. Conveniently, he acquired land next door several years before. At some point, it's brought to his attention that having her help with his niece is risking her reputation. He has no problem arriving to the solution of marrying her.

 

The two of them perhaps should have carried on a few conversations. Perhaps even courted a bit. Maybe he would have realized her low self-esteem. And maybe...she should have been a little less touchy about things. Or maybe a little less naive about expectations. After all, if you suspect it's a marriage of convenience, why are you even listening to gossips or getting upset?

 

The reread of course, led my far more picky self to notice things, like the muddle that was her family. For some time, I couldn't figure out if Maryruth was her sister or half sister. Lots of reasons for that - the author gave one impression, then wrote something different later, then went back to the original. There was mention of a sister in St. Louis, then later it was half sister.

 

And then there was her situation. Really?! An unmarried 29 year old daughter of a wealthy landowner? Because she was too tall? Right. See, the time period would leave me to think men were a lot less picky - they want someone to cook for them, don't they? I could see this, back east, but in the west?

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review 2015-08-11 02:48
Sequins and Spurs - Cheryl St. John (HH #1243 - Aug 2015)
Sequins and Spurs (Harlequin Historical) - Cheryl St.John

Her last chance at redemption

 

Singer Ruby Dearing is tired of life on the stage and yearns for a place to belong. She returns home to beg forgiveness from her mother and sister, only to find stubborn Nash Sommerton -- her sister's widower -- in charge.

 

Nash is prepared to fight this unruly beauty for his ranch, but Ruby amazes him with her determination to restore the house to the home it once was. Can he persuade Ruby to forgive herself and see the second chance they've both been given?

 

Good story of second chances. Ruby had left home at sixteen, tired of life on the farm and dreaming of a bigger world. She spent eight years as a singer and actress, moving from town to town. Now she's tired of life on the move and ready to go home and ask her mother and sister to forgive her for leaving them. But she arrives home to discover that her mother and sister have died and her sister's husband in charge. 

 

Nash isn't sure what to make of Ruby. For his entire marriage he has resented the way that she just disappeared, leaving her sister alone to care for their mother. He doesn't know what she wants or if she can be trusted, so he's going to keep a close eye on her.

 

I really liked Ruby. She has a lot of guilty feelings over the way she left and that she didn't come home in time to ask for their forgiveness. She understands Nash's doubts about her and is determined to show him that she belongs there too. I loved watching her tackle each challenge as it came up, from learning how to cook a chicken to facing the townspeople she left behind. She also has a really kind heart and doesn't hesitate to stand up for what she believes is right. The scene with the abused horses is just one example. She also aches for family of her own, and falls hard for her niece and nephew. She's determined to take good care of them, the way her sister would have wanted. Though she's never been around kids before, she really does a fantastic job of looking out for them. She also has no hesitation about taking in a young orphaned girl who has been abused. 

 

Nash is also quite wonderful, in spite of his initial attitude toward Ruby. He has some guilty feelings of his own about his marriage, believing that he hadn't treated his wife the way he should have. He spent a lot of time working on making the ranch a success, thinking that he had plenty of time to then work on making his marriage a success. Instead, she died before he had the chance. Now he has Ruby showing up and shaking up his life. From their first encounter, involving a skillet and his head, he doesn't know what to expect. She claims she's home to stay, but can he trust that she really will?

 

Nash and Ruby have a strong pull toward each other, but both try to resist it, feeling that it is inappropriate. Nash especially can't get Ruby off his mind, and the longer she stays the more he begins to believe that he has misjudged her. He's a strong man with a strong will, but he is also able to admit when he is wrong. I really enjoyed seeing Nash come to appreciate Ruby and the way she takes care of everyone. Ruby's biggest issue becomes one of deciding if she can forgive herself enough to believe that she deserves to be happy. I liked the way that Nash had a big part in trying to show her that her mother and sister never held her leaving against her. Then all they had to do was have the courage to admit their true feelings for one another, and it only took a tornado to do it.

 

I also enjoyed the secondary characters. Nash's mother was a real sweetheart of a lady and did a lot to show Ruby that she was a good person. She is also a very strong person herself and sets a great example when a surprise visitor shows up at her home. I also liked Nash's hired men and how sweet they were to Ruby. Nash's kids were adorable and young Jane's explosion onto the scene was both funny and heartbreaking.

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text 2014-11-12 16:07
Beer Googles: Romance Novels with Breweries
Home for the Summer - Mariah Stewart
A Hellion in Her Bed - Sabrina Jeffries
In for a Penny - Rose Lerner
Love in a Nutshell - Dorien Kelly,Janet Evanovich
Good Girls Don't - Victoria Dahl
Not the Boss's Baby (The Beaumont Heirs Series Book 1) - Sarah M. Anderson
Enemies on Tap (a Sweet Salvation Brewery Novel) (Entangled Indulgence) - Avery Flynn
Paradise Hops - Liz Crowe
Her Colorado Man - Cheryl St.John
Betting On It: A Callahan Brewery Novel - Violet Blake

Its Wednesday. Kick back and enjoy some beer with your romance. These great romance novels features beer making of some kind. 

 

My lists are never any in particular order. 

 

1. Home for the Summer by Mariah Stewart

 

Some of Lucy Sinclair’s best days were those spent growing up in small town St. Dennis—working at the family inn and enjoying summers filled with swimming, sailing, tennis, and the company of Clay Madison, her best friend. But Lucy’s darkest day, the one that shattered her innocence with violence and fear, also happened in St. Dennis. And the town she once loved became the place she gladly left behind—along with the terrible secret she’s kept for twenty years.
 
While Lucy headed off for college and a career, Clay remained—more than satisfied with the life St. Dennis had to offer. But now, even after inheriting his family’s thriving farm and starting up an organic brewery, he can’t help feeling that something’s missing. And when Lucy comes back to town to plan a celebrity wedding at the Sinclair family inn, she and Clay reconnect, and find themselves reevaluating their long-sleeping friendship that could blossom into something deeper. Like a bookend to those distant childhood days, this summer will be Lucy’s chance to finally confront her hidden pain, make peace with the past, and plan her own whole new future.

 

2. A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries

 

Mired in scandal after his parents’ mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can’t resist when beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help save her family’s foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans . . . and unveils the secret Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one—and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.

 

3. Betting On It by Violet Blake

 

Recent college grad Blair Bartlett thought she had it all—until one near-death experience destroyed everything. Now she’s starting over halfway across the country with zero confidence, zero trust, and zero in the bank.

On the eve of her canceled wedding, her so-called friends formulate a bet to dig Blair out of her rut: in the next thirty days, she has to complete ten erotic dares that would make most married women blush. The stakes are high, and this is one bet she can’t lose.

Wary of messy entanglements, she recruits her best friend’s older brother—and longtime friend—Sawyer Callahan. Deemed Colorado’s most eligible bachelor, he’s successful, fun-loving, and knows exactly how to make a girl, um…swoon.

But as the weeks tick by, Blair knows the friendship has become much more than she’s bargained for. And something dark in Sawyer’s past is threatening to ruin their future before it even had a chance.

 

4. Her Colorado Man by Cheryl St. John

 

When eighteen-year-old Mariah found herself pregnant and unmarried in her small Colorado town, she disappeared. One year later, she returned with a baby--though minus the "husband" who had conveniently ventured off to Alaska's gold fields to seek his fortune....

But now, with handsome adventurer Wes Burrows turning up and claiming to be the husband she had invented, Mariah's lies become flesh and blood--and her wildest dreams a reality!

 

5. Paradise Hops by Liz Crowe

 

When the ideal man truly loves you…but his polar opposite will not exit your fantasies…

Garrett Hunter is the dictionary definition of masculine perfection: Handsome, successful, stable, and eager to settle down. He’s just landed his dream job — General manager for Brockton Brewing, one of Michigan’s oldest and most storied craft breweries.

Elias Buchannan is a craft beer rock star, recently hired to drag Brockton into the 21st century. He brings with him innovation and ego in equal measure. His reputation for a morally casual attitude precedes him but masks a fear of commitment he earned the hard way.

Lori Brockton realizes she owes it to her father to take her place in the family business. Two years after barely surviving a brutal attack, she struggles with anxiety and self-doubt while working her way through each department, learning everything she can.

The week before her final assignment—crafting beer alongside Brewmaster Eli—Lori’s carefully constructed world gets upended when Garrett is introduced as the new GM. Confronted by attraction to two very different men, she makes a surprising choice that alters everyone’s lives forever.

 

6. Enemies on Tap by Avery Flynn

 

Brewing up trouble one pint at a time.
 
Enemies ...After years away, Miranda Sweet returns to Salvation, Virginia to save her family's brewery, but her fate is in the hands of her lover-turned-enemy, Logan. What's a girl to do when the only person who can help her is the man who betrayed her?
 
Lovers ...Logan Martin can't believe his luck when the woman who smashed his heart to smithereens walks into his bank asking for his help. What she doesn't know is that he needs the land her brewery is on--and he'll do whatever it takes to get it.
 
An Irresistible Combination ...Their wager becomes a battle between their attraction and their determination to win. But it's in each other's arms that they realize there might be more at stake now than their bet. With the town against the Sweet Salvation Brewery's success, Logan has to choose between what's expected of him and what he really wants...

 

7. Not the Boss's Baby by Sarah M. Anderson

 

What the boss wants… 

 

As the oldest son, Chadwick Beaumont has sacrificed everything for the Beaumonts' company, but he swore he'd never follow in his father's philandering footsteps. So, for years, he's dutifully kept his distance from the temptation outside his office door—his beautiful secretary Serena Chase. 

 

But now everything has changed. The family business is in jeopardy. His personal life is in shambles. And his sexy assistant is suddenly single…and flirting. Chadwick is tired of doing what's expected. It's time for him to go after what he wants. And what he wants is Serena—even if she's expecting another man's child.

 

8. Good Girls Don't by Victoria Dahl

 

With her long ponytail and sparkling green eyes, Tessa Donovan looks more like the girl next door than a businesswoman—or a heartbreaker. Which may explain why Detective Luke Asher barely notices her when he arrives to investigate a breakin at her family's brewery. He's got his own problems—starting with the fact that his partner, Simone, is pregnant and everyone thinks he's the father.

Tessa has her hands full, too. Her brother's playboy ways may be threatening the business, and the tension could tear her tightknit family apart. In fact, the only thing that could unite the Donovan boys is seeing a man come after their "baby" sister. Especially a man like Luke Asher. But Tessa sees past the rumors to the man beneath. He's not who people think he is—and neither is she.

 

9. Love in a Nutshell  by Janet Evanovich

 

Kate Appleton needs a job. Her husband has left her, she’s been fired from her position as a magazine editor, and the only place she wants to go is to her parents’ summer house, The Nutshell, in Keene’s Harbor, Michigan. Kate’s plan is to turn The Nutshell into a Bed and Breakfast. Problem is, she needs cash, and the only job she can land is less than savory.
 
Matt Culhane wants Kate to spy on his brewery employees. Someone has been sabotaging his company, and Kate is just new enough in town that she can insert herself into Culhane’s business and snoop around for him. If Kate finds the culprit, Matt will pay her a $20,000 bonus. Needless to say, Kate is highly motivated. But several problems present themselves. Kate despises beer. No one seems to trust her. And she is falling hard for her boss.
 
 

Lord Nevinstoke revels in acting the young wastrel, until his father is killed in a drunken duel. Never one to do anything halfway, Nev throws off his wild ways to shoulder a mountain of responsibility—and debt—vowing to marry a rich girl and act the respectable lord of the manor.

 

Manufacturing heiress Penelope Brown seems the perfect choice for a wife. She’s pretty, proper, and looking for a husband.

 

Determined to rise above her common birth, Penelope prides herself on her impeccable behavior and good sense. Grand Passion? Vulgar and melodramatic. Yes, agreeing to marry Nev was a rare moment of impulse, yet she’s sure they can build a good marriage based on companionship and mutual esteem.

 

But when they arrive at the manor, they’re overwhelmed with half-starved tenants, a menacing neighbor, and the family propensity for scandal. As the situation deteriorates, the newlyweds have nowhere to turn but to each other. To Penelope’s surprise, she begins to fervently hope that her first taste of Grand Passion in her husband’s arms won’t be her last.

 

Any ones I missed? Let me know!

 

To vote or the best of best and get more recs, go to my Goodreads list:  Beer Googles: Romance Novels with Breweries.

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text 2014-11-06 15:16
Politician Heroines and Heroes in Historical Romance
The Bride Ship - Deborah Hale
The Ideal Bride - Stephanie Laurens
Her Wyoming Man - Cheryl St.John
Delicious - Sherry Thomas
Sweet Enemy - Heather Snow
Rightfully His - Tracy Grant
Catching Katie - Robin Lee Hatcher
Something Like Love - Beverly Jenkins
Crossed Quills - Carola Dunn
Sweet Disorder - Rose Lerner

In the last of my Political Romance Lists, let's take a look at Politicians in Historical Romance. From Candidates for Public Office to Members of Parliament! 

 

Enjoy!

 

My lists are never in any particular order. 

 

1. The Bride Ship by Deborah Hale

2. Delicious by Sherry Thomas

3. Her Wyoming Man by Cheryl St.John

4. Sweet Disorder by Rose Lerner

5. Something Like Love by Beverly Jenkins

6. Catching Katie by Robin Lee Hatcher 

7. Rightfully His by Tracy Grant

8. Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

9. Crossed Quills by Carola Dunn 

10. The Ideal Bride by Stephanie Laurens 

 

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know! Get more recs and vote for the best of the best on my Goodreads list: Franchised: Politician Heroines and Heroes in Historical Romance.

 

If you missed the other Political Romance blog posts, here they are!

 

Suffrage in Romance Novels

 

City Hall: Mayor Heroes and Heroines in Romance Novels

The Hill! Senator Heroes and Heroines in Romance Novels

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text 2014-06-10 16:00
Trail: Best Bounty Hunter in Historical Romance
Beauty and the Bounty Hunter - Lori Austin
The Bounty - Beth Williamson
A Kiss to Die for (Leisure Historical Romance) - Claudia Dain
The Bounty Hunter - Cheryl St.John
Leah and the Bounty Hunter - Elaine Levine
The Inheritance - Joan Johnston
Desperate Hearts - Alexis Harrington
Sunshine and the Bounty Hunter - Bobbie Fite
The Bounty Hunter's Bride - Victoria Bylin
Bounty Hunter's Bride - Carol Finch

Dusty, Saddle Sore, Gun Slinging, come get ya some Historical Romance Bounty Hunters! 

 

 

1. Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin Cat O’Banyon

2. The Bounty  by Beth Williamson Tyler Calhoun 

3. A Kiss To Die For  by Claudia Dain Jack Skull

4. The Bounty Hunter by Cheryl St.John Nick Harding

5. Leah and the Bounty Hunter  by Elaine Levine Jace Gage

6. The Inheritance by Joan Johnston Nicholas Calloway

7. Desperate Hearts by Alexis Harrington  Jace Rankin 

8. Sunshine and the Bounty Hunter by Bobbie Fite Howard “Gunn” Gunnarsen

9. The Bounty Hunter's Bride by Victoria Bylin  Beau Morgan

10. Bounty Hunter's Bride  by Carol Finch Cale 

 

Let me know you favorite Historical Romance Bounty Hunter!

 

To vote for the best for the best, check out this Goodreads list: Trail: Best Bounty Hunter in Historical Romance. 

 

If you missed the Paranormal or Contermporay Romance Bounty Hunter lists, here they are! 

 

Skip: Best Bounty Hunters in Contemporary Romance

So Who is the Best Paranormal/Science Fiction Romance Bounty Hunter?

 

Be sure to take a gander at awesome Bounty Hunters from all the Romance genres on my Pinterest Board: Skip: Best Bounty Hunters in Romance Novels.

 

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