July is here and I am ready to hit up a new month of reads.

Courtney Milan Challenge

1. The Countess Conspiracy (Brothers Sinister #3)

Regency Box Set

2. His Jilted Bride (Banks Brothers Brides #3) by Rose Gordon (left over from June)

3. Next book

Classics Challenge/John Steinbeck Reader

4. Tortilla Flat

Non-Fiction Challenge

4. Sisters in Law by Linda Hirschman

5. Bourbon: An American Spirit by Dane Huckelbridge

6. Tomorrow-Land by Joseph Tirella

7. Salt, Sugar, Fat by Michael Moss

8. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

TBR Pile Down

9. Killer Run (Tourist Trap Mystery #5) by Lynn Cahoon

10. Hearts of Gold by Phoebe Conn

11. The American Bride by Karla Darcy

12. Emily's Vow (A More Perfect Union #1) by Betty Bolte

13. The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

14. Gold Rush Brides: Beginnings by Cassie Hayes

15. Easter 1916 by Charles Townsend (Finish)

16. At the Duke's Wedding (Anthology) (Finish)

Happy Reading.

Karla Darcy's book, The Marriage Wager is an enjoyable read.  This was my first book by Ms Darcy and I was impressed with her writing style.  The Marriage Wager is a well written book with lovable characters, humor, drama, and action.  Dev and Jena's story was a pleasure to read and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.  The Marriage Wager is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

Title: The Virtuous Ward

Author: Karla Darcy

Genre: Regency-Era Historical Romance

Rating: 4.5

Description/Synopsis: If you love Downton Abbey and Jane Austen you’ll love The Virtuous Ward! This is book #5 in the Sweet Deception Regency series that brings you the adventures of the gentlemen of the ton who are members of Sweet’s Racing Club and the women they love. Lord Maxwell Kampford has kept his ward in seclusion but now must sponsor her in society in order to marry her off. Unsophisticated and trusting, Amity is set up by Max's jealous fiancée to fail. Max is confounded by the loyalties of the girl who seems to champion every orphaned and abused animal and turns his bachelor household upside down. Will he discover love or let this charmer get away?

Readers Love Karla Darcy, RWA Golden Heart award winning author.

WARNING - SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT - REVIEW BELOW

First off, I have to say that the cover to this book while very pretty, doesn't do a lick of justice to the main heroine, Endurance (Amity). Out of all the regency-era romance novels I've read, Amity may be one of my favorite female leads of all time. Despite being raised by parents that didn't care about her in the slightest, then losing said parents and ending up a forgotten ward of a virtual stranger, Amity makes it a habit to be positive and look for the joy in life despite her circumstances.  She is outgoing, mischievous, optimistic, kind-hearted, and willful while maintaining manners and class. In so many regency-era historical novels the women come across as boring, simpering, delicate, even downright stupid at times, so it was a breath of fresh air to find a novel where the main female lead wasn't any of those things.... without crossing too far over the line and becoming downright tomboyish or brash.

On the other side of the spectrum, the main male lead (and Amity's guardian) Maxwell, was a stodgy man who was all about order, class, and propriety - until he met Amity. I loved the combination of these two characters as they became friends in-good-humor and eventually grew to love each other.

This book was what I consider a "sure-read": it was fast paced, clear, well-written, and the plot was easy to follow and not complicated (despite the tenuous relationships between all of the characters). Though I can't say it was the best, or even most exciting book I've ever read, I can say that it was right up there with what you'd find in your typical regency from harlequin despite the fact that it was e-published... meaning quality and easy to enjoy.

I think the real pull of this particular book was the colorful characters and the way they interacted. Amity and her abigail (and friend) Betta were a great pair, not to mention the pairing between Maxwell and his plain-jane cousin. All of the characters (except for the villainous Honoria and the dour Ophelia) portrayed such camaraderie and humor in their interactions that it was hard not to fall in love with all of them. Overall it was a very light-hearted romantic romp - and if you enjoy regency-era historical romances, you'll enjoy this.

The only point of contention I had with this book was that the relationship between Amity and Maxwell lacked much passion (though that seems to be fairly typical of the era itself). I would have liked to see more sparks fly between the two. That being said, it was still a really nice afternoon read, and I recommend you give it a look.

I only started reading romance novels last year (in fact, it's been about 13 months). In that time I've read A LOT of books. I wanted to take a minute to document/note some of the books I've enjoyed starting with regency romance.

These three, of all the ones I've read, have really left an impression...

1. What I Did For A Duke: This book completely surprised me. It is definitely in the top three romances I've ever read. The title is so... meh. And it started out so... eh. But, the story is epically swoon-worthy. Basically, you have this older Duke (older for a romance novel, so 40) and he sets his mind to seducing the younger sister of a rival. This younger sister, in case you haven't yet gleamed, is the heroine and the Duke is the hero. For a time, the hero and the heroine form a friendship. Then, they for an attachment. Then, they fall in love. The story - how they move from one step to the next - is really, really lovely. The character of the Duke is probably one of my most favorite heroes in romance (right up there with Mr. Darcy and Captain Wentworth). He is multifaceted, strong, vulnerable, and realistically drawn with faults, worries, fears, and humor. The heroine is nearly as realistic and evocative, truly a *young* person who is struggling to understand what is real, what is important/matters, and what is fleeting. I've already read it three times!

2. Edenbrooke: So... this book is a "clean romance"; meaning, there is no explicit sex. Also, the heroine is a bit naive but still retains her likeability. The hero, unlike most romantic heroes of today (contemporary and historical alike), is unfailingly honorable. I LOVED that he was unwavering in his honor and, ultimately, that's what makes this books so special and romantic. There is a scene in the book that, no matter how many times I've read it, makes my stomach and chest twist with painful delight. I shall call it "the letter scene" and leave it at that...

3. Lord of Darkness: Really, I could have selected any number of Elizabeth Hoyt's books. She is... she is amazing. And, her books are amazing. She has an uncanny ability to draw fantastically relateable heroines and flawed yet completely desirable heroes with such consistency (from book to book). All her books are a must read. Lord of Darkness stands out for me because the heroine wants to kill (that's right, murder) the hero at first. And the hero is another one of those unfailingly honorable characters that make me sigh and - I freely admit it - swoon. Love Elizabeth Hoyt and I love her books!

I also have to give an honorable mention to Courtney Milan, Lisa Kleypas, and Karla Darcy. I've read a number of their books and always found them to be high quality/enjoyable reads.

Ok, how about you? Care to share your top regency romance???