The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers, Book 3)
by Lisa Kleypas

I know a lot of people love Lisa’s books but I am not one of them. There’s just something about her formula that doesn’t engage me like other authors do. So, I have not read the other two “Wallflower” stories and wasn’t sure if I’d like this one… Well, this one almost made me want to read the others. I really enjoyed Evie and Sebastian and their evolution from strangers to friends to lovers. I’m curious if I would have liked Sebastian as much based on what he did in the other book. Since I didn’t read it, I wasn’t as judgmental about the situation so I’m not sure I ever got the same libertine vibe off of him that many of the characters did. That may have made it easier for me to like him? Either way, I enjoyed the book.

Never Seduce a Scoundrel (The School for Heiresses, Book 1)
by Sabrina Jeffries

Sabrina is one of my favorite authors. This is the first in her new ‘The School for Heiresses’ series. If you’re a fan of Sabrina’s other books, you’ll enjoy seeing a few people making appearances here. In the book, Lady Amelia Plume is being wooed by Major Lucas Winter, an American. Though enjoying the spark he ignites in her, Amelia knows the real reason he’s wooing her and is just as determined to keep him guessing. Amelia is a bit of a Mary Sue and I usually prefer my heroines to be a bit less perfect. However, she was never so far over the top that I disliked her. I’m not sure I can say the same about Lucas. It was like he got all the faults she was missing. It’s not that I didn’t like these two, it’s that the balance between them wasn’t quite right. It’s possible it’s because Lucas was American and it’s very rare that I like that combination in my historical romances. And, yet, I actually did like this book. I just didn’t love it like I usually do with Sabrina’s books. That said, I’m eager for the next in this series because I like each of the girls involved as well as Charlotte.

Countess Confidential
by Barbara Dawson Smith

Barbara Dawson Smith is usually a hit or miss with me. As a result, I don’t keep track of when she releases new books. If there is a new one out and I don’t have anything else to read, I will typically check it out but she’s not one of my “must read” authors. However, I really enjoyed this one. In fact, I had a hard time putting it down when I was forced to take breaks in my reading. In the book, Claire’s father has been arrested for a series of jewel thefts. To help clear his name, she gets herself hired as a paid companion and uses that as a cover while doing some investigating of her own. Meanwhile the Earl of Rockford, who unbeknownst to her is actually the man who arrested her father, takes an interest in her. I’m sure you can figure out how the story ends but I found the entire cast of characters immensely likable and amusing. Very few of them were cast in typical roles and I really like it when an author stays away from the cliches. The plot is predictable but, as long as I’m given a compelling cast of characters, I rarely care about that. This cast definitely made the book a fun read.

Her Master and Commander
by Karen Hawkins

This is a very typical Karen Hawkins romance. Which is good because that meant I was guaranteed to enjoy it. It’s the first in a series of books about the illegitimate children of the late Earl of Rochester. Reeves, the late Earl’s butler, is left to find each of the children and inform them of the conditions in their deceased father’s will. This story concerns the eldest son, Tristan, and what he must do to be rewarded with the Earl’s fortune along with the title. Tristan is, as you might expect, resisting the changes to his lifestyle while enjoying taunting Prudence, his neighbor and the woman Reeves enlists to help Tristan learn some manners. I liked both Prudence and Tristan. Prudence was strong but not without her faults and there was just the right amount of spark between the two of them. Oh and of course we were introduced to the next sibling that Reeves must track down. He actually fits the type of main male character I prefer so now I’m impatiently waiting for the next book in this series to be released. I encourage you to check out it out as well as Karen’s other books.