Lady Juliana, daughter of the Earl of St. Maur, needs all the help she can get. She's running a ramshackle orphanage, London's worst slumlord has illicit designs on her, and her father has suddenly become determined to marry her off.

Enter Major Neil Wraxall, bastard son of the Marquess of Kensington, sent to assist Lady Juliana in any way he can. Lucky for her, he's handy with repairs, knows how to keep her and the orphans safe, and is a natural leader of men.

Unfortunately for both of them, the scandal that ensues from their mutual attraction is going to lead them a merry dance...

Unmask Me If You Can (The Survivors #4) - Shana Galen 

At one point in her life, Olivia didn’t have more worries than to wear pretty gowns and attend the most fashionable balls. Now? Now she has more pressing, more important things to worry about, mainly her full of life and curious five year old son Richard. Jasper may have looked scary with that mask covering half his face but his considerate and honorable behavior was enough to bring down the walls Olivia had erected around her heart. 

I have to say that Jasper was not exactly how I imagined him, he was way better! I loved the way he patiently let Olivia trust him with her body and hers and her child’s life. He knew the ordeals she had gone through and so he painstakingly let her take the lead when it came to the intimate moments. That’s basically what I love the most about Jasper. Even though he was reluctant to let her love him at first, once he understood her needs he was more than willing to accommodate her, and not just because of his desire for her, but because he understood her and wanted to give her what she needed. If that’s not love then I may be reading the wrong books. He truly was the perfect lover for Olivia. 
Olivia, although not the smartest of women in my opinion, was resourceful and level-headed. Perhaps at times she didn’t make the right decisions and trusted the wrong people but she always considered all of her options. It made me really upset how the scheming of others affected Jasper, Olivia, and of course little Richard. That poor child had been so happy for the first five years of his life and all of a sudden his life turned upside down. The villains deserved so much worse than what they got but at least they got some kind of punishment. 

To top it all off, we get a little glimpse at the life of Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict Draven! Just as the men he leads, he may appear as a brooding man but if my hunch is correct, just like the other men in his troop, that is just a façade to keep all the feelings from pouring out. In all honesty, I cannot have enough of these men and I cannot wait to read the rest of their stories. 

*I requested and received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher* 

Mrs. Brodie's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies - Shana Galen,Theresa Romain 

I'd describe this duo as one of those that give you an AWWWW! feeling and that feeling stays with you long after you put the book down. Both stories are about second chances. 

The Way to A Gentleman's Heart by Theresa Romain stars Marianne, a lady of society-turned cook, and James, a man with plenty to regret but willing to make amends and hoping for forgiveness. I always find this author’s stories kind of hard to understand in the sense that I don’t connect with the characters right away. At first I thought James had hurt Marianne too much and grueling for the rest of his life wouldn’t be enough to deserve forgiveness, however once Marianne’s musing put their relationship in a different light and she realized he was a worthy man I too realized just as much. 

Counterfeit Scandal by Shana Galen intertwines characters from No Earls Allowed, book 2 in her The Survivors series but you don’t need to read that book first in order to read this one. Bridget and Caleb were forced to part ways at a moment when Bridget needed him the most. Fast forward several years later and Caleb seems to be the only one to help her find what she once lost but loves the most. I liked this story a lot. The author was able to pack plenty of character development, emotions, action, and redemption in only a few pages. The fact that Caleb was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for Bridget was kind of the cherry on top. 

I think this set perfectly represents what each author is about so if anyone's thought about trying something by either one I encourage you to give these novellas a go. 

I received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.

An Affair with a Spare - Shana Galen 

Release date: July 3rd, 2018

This third installment in the Survivors series showcases the Seducer. Rafe Beaumont’s role in Lt. Colonel Draven’s regiment in the war was nothing like the other soldiers'. Just as dangerous, but not quite as heroic, at least not in his eyes. Now that the war is over and everyone is trying to live a more or less tranquil life, Rafe feels the chance to prove himself as a true hero is still yet to come. However when Draven pretty much orders him to reprise the role of the Seducer, he assumes he’s never going to have that chance. Not quite so my dear Rafe. 

Rafe was such an endearing, amusing character. His easygoing attitude and somewhat sad past was easy to understand. It was pretty obvious why all the women wanted a piece of the beefcake that was Rafe. Collette on the other hand was not as well-defined. She was too innocent to be doing what she was set out to do and I honestly didn’t understand why anyone would consider her for that kind of work. Although when it came to Rafe she was pretty set on what she wanted from him and that sort of redeemed her in my eyes. 

The Survivors that we’ve met in past books make a reappearance here but don't play quite the important a role I would have liked. I didn’t get why Rafe didn’t enlist the help of his friends in a more proactive way in order to achieve his goals. It just seems it would have made his life much easier. Another thing I didn’t enjoy much was the fact that it felt the book was two stories in one. The way it started and the way it changed course in the middle didn’t mesh well. In the end Rafe gets to prove his worth not only to his Lieutenant but also to the woman he loved (in a most romantic way) so I was happy by the time I finished. 

Overall a good read but I think Ewan’s story (first book, Third Son’s a Charm) is still my favorite. 

**I received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher**

Stealing the Duke's Heart - Shana Galen 

**These novellas were previously published in the anthologies The Dukes of Vauxhall and How to Find a Duke in Ten Days.**

How to Steal a Duke 
Dominik and Rosalyn make one of my favorite couples ever. She was graceful, playful, and brave. He was haughty, proper, and much to his chagrin, caring. Together they are the perfect pair. With a hint at gothic, and although it’s only a novella, this story packs plenty: romance, nail-biting situations, and an unexpected twist. It was a nice story that I wish would have been longer! 

Taken by the Duke 
When Henry is attacked by a band of ruffians, the last thing he expected was to come reacquainted with a long lost love. Kate has changed so much since he last saw her however he knows that deep inside she’s still the same girl he knew all those years ago. There were sparks flying for these two from the start. I loved that it’s not your typical “duke” and there was “no damsel in distress.” I thought the ending was kind of abrupt but it was still an enjoyable read. 

Both stories were fun, enjoyable, and quick reads. If you’re looking for a read to pass your morning, this is the one to get. 

~ I received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher. ~