Happy Release Day! Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin (Book Review)

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Title: Unmasking Miss Appleby
Series: Baleful Godmother #1
Author: Emily Larkin
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: November 7, 2016

Blurb:

On her 25th birthday, Charlotte Appleby receives a most unusual gift from the Faerie godmother she never knew she had: the ability to change shape.

Penniless and orphaned, she sets off for London to make her fortune as a man. But a position as secretary to Lord Cosgrove proves unexpectedly challenging. Someone is trying to destroy Cosgrove and his life is increasingly in jeopardy.

As Charlotte plunges into London’s backstreets and brothels at Cosgrove’s side, hunting his persecutor, she finds herself fighting for her life -- and falling in love ...

* * *

My Review:

When her father died, Charlotte Appleby lost everything and now depends on the charity of her uncle's household -- but it isn't without any strings attached: her aunt and cousin treat her like a servant, and actually call her "Charity" and her uncle isn't any better. Charlotte is ready to leave, and strike out on her own but, she has no money and no connections -- how would she survive?

Enter her Faerie Godmother, who visits Charlotte on her 25th birthday and grants her one wish. I liked that idea that the Faerie Godmother has to bestow one wish to every daughter born in Charlotte's maternal side. Charlotte's own mother wished for the ability to fly, and Charlotte very wisely chooses for the ability to change her form. There was a part of me that wished there was a preface to the story, which would tackle the interesting arrangement between the Faerie Godmother and the women in Charlotte's family. (I'm also curious about how her mother used her ability, and how come Charlotte never realized her mother could fly.)

With her new ability, the world suddenly opens up new opportunities for Charlotte: she could now, literally, be anyone she wanted to be. As she read through the classified section, two ads stood out: one for a schoolmistress, and the other as secretary to a lord. Charlotte chooses to apply for the position of secretary, but she could not apply as a female. And so, Charlotte becomes Christopher Albin.

I've read novels where the heroine masquerades as a young lad, but I don't think I've ever read one where the heroine actually becomes male -- and the author does a good job of describing how disorientating the experience is for Charlotte. What is a penis and how does it work? What do men wear underneath all those layers, and how do you go about acquiring them?

The lord in search of a secretary is Marcus, the Earl of Cosgrove, a very vocal opponent of slave labor and he is preparing to make his case in the House of the Lords, then there is the personal scandal involving his wife, and both of these have brought trouble to his door. From broken glass windows, the attacks have escalated, and the latest one resulted in the injury of his secretary, which is why Lord Cosgrove is looking for a replacement, to help him uncover who is behind all these attacks.

Charlotte/Christopher proves to be a very capable and perceptive secretary, but he also proves to be a very innocent and naive secretary -- it's very clear to Marcus, Lord Cosgrove, that Charlotte/Christopher had led a very sheltered life, and it brings out a protectiveness in him. The relationship that grows between Marcus and Charlotte/Christopher is one of master and apprentice, and Marcus is almost a father figure to Charlotte/Christopher. Almost. Again, I love how the author doesn't shy away from exploring Charlotte/Christopher's attraction to Marcus, and, in a few circumstances, the attraction has a *koff* physical manifestation.

The story reads very well as Marcus and Charlotte/Christopher continue to investigate the attacks on Marcus, and the motives behind it, and it would have worked well as a detective story a la Sherlock Holmes, but, of course, this is a Historical Romance novel, and the author manages to create a convincing scenario in which Marcus also meets and interacts with Charlotte.

It's an ironic situation: the reader knows it's the same person, and there are some similarities in the mannerisms of Charlotte and Christopher, and I kept waiting for Marcus to make the connection. But I think Marcus was too immersed in his investigation to realize it sooner.

When the story began, and Charlotte was presented with her powers, I worried about how limitless it seemed. All superheroes have a weakness, and Charlotte, with her new ability, didn't seem to have one: she could metamorphose into anything she wanted and any time. It's worrisome to think of how this power might be abused if it was given to the wrong person, but Charlotte never gets tempted to use it beyond her needs.

Overall, this was an engrossing and entertaining read. Emily Larkin hints at some very interesting tidbits about Charlotte's parents, and I hope she writes about them. ^_^

Unmasking Miss Appleby is the first book in Emily Larkin's new series, A Baleful Godmother. To find out more about Emily Larkin and her books, click below:
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Disclosure: I received a review copy from the author. Yes, this is an honest review.

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Book Review: Never Trust a Pirate by Anne Stuart

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In the second book of Anne Stuart's Scandal in the House of Russell series, she features two characters who aren't who they claim to be: Mary Greaves, is really Madeline Russell, the second of three daughters of the disgraced shipping magnate, Eustace Russell, who died while being investigated for embezzling his own company. And Thomas Morgan isn't really an English privateer-turned-shipping magnate, but Luca, a Gypsy, with a less-than-pristine background.

Following the same theme of cat-and-mouse, Maddy enters Thomas's house as Mary, a maid-of-all-work, hoping she could find some evidence to exonerate her father. Maddy doesn't count on being attracted to Thomas, and it proves to complicate her already-complicated situation: she's the help, and he's her employer; and, he's also supposed to be her enemy.

Unlike Bryony, Maddy is beautiful and still has prospects, fending off (but also considering) the proposal of an aging lord, but she is more determined to clear her family's name and restore a bit of her family's status in society. To say that life in service came as a culture shock to Madeline is an understatement -- and I got the sense that Stuart reveled in going into detail just how far down the Russells had fallen. Madeline continues to reminisce about the luxuries of her past life as she scrubbed and cleaned Thomas's house. In many instances, she looks at her hands and bemoans their current condition, knowing she could never have them be smooth and flawless ever again.

There was a part of me that felt that the author dwelt too much on this detail of Maddy's life -- but there was also another part of me that felt it was necessary for Maddy to go through this trial by fire. And I have to admire her for her tenacity -- a lesser person would have given up after an hour with the dust and the bats, but Maddy remained. A lesser person would have quit after being asked to work to the point of exhaustion, and then given very little to eat and very little time to rest. But Maddy was fighting for something greater than herself -- and I'm glad to see that our heroine isn't just a self-absorbed heiress intending to regain her life of comfort. What Maddy was fighting for was for her and her sisters to regain their father as they had known him: a man who worked hard, and provided well -- and it is tragic that their last memory of him is that of a man on the brink of a breakdown, suspicious of everything and everyone.

I liked seeing Thomas and Maddy dance around each other -- they both know they're there under false pretenses. Thomas is trying to marry a lady who would cement his position in society, but the part of him that is Gypsy, Luca, is suffocating under all the politeness and manners, and yearns to break free and sail away. Thomas knows Maddy/Mary isn't who she claims to be, and he is just waiting for her to make a slip. There's a clear attraction between the two, but I don't see a development in the relationship -- there's definitely admiration and respect, but I don't see love nor do I see how it could've developed in such difficult and limited circumstances.

But I have to admire that neither one compromises on their principles because of lust -- Maddy is focused on her goal to find evidence, and Thomas wants her to admit her real identity first. The author maintains a tense dynamic between our hero and heroine -- then she introduces a silent, unseen villain who is intent to do bodily harm to Maddy. This is the other weakness of the story -- the villain isn't clearly established, and I was initially confused about who he was in the story. As the story gained momentum, though, it because clearer who he was and his connection to the downfall of Maddy's father.

I felt that the author was considering two endings for our heroine: one involved the ship named after her, which Thomas had been wanting to acquire. It was clever for the author to put Maddy in this interesting position: neither Maddy nor her sisters knew that Maddy still owned something of monetary value. They had believed that all of their possessions had been seized. Thomas wanted to buy the ship, but needed to locate the owner to sign it over. I would've wanted to see how this particular plot thread would have played out: it would restore something to Maddy and her sisters, and put them in a less-desperate situation. But the author decided to resolve this in the conventional way: with Thomas and Maddy falling in love with each other.

Anne Stuart sets the stage very well for the third, and final book in the series: the list of suspects has been narrowed down to one, but, even the sisters agree that he is the most unlikely of villains. It will be very interesting to see how the author plans to resolve this mystery.

Never Trust a Pirate is Book 2 in the Scandal in the House of Russell series by Anne Stuart. To find out more about Anne Stuart and her books, click below:
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Review: No Mistress of Mine by Laura Lee Guhrke

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The final book in Laura Lee Guhrke's An American Heiress in London series features Denys, fun, theater-loving Viscount Somerton: heir to an earldom -- who, six years ago, used all of his money, and mortgaged his estate to fund a theater production that headlined his mistress, Lola Valentine. It was a gamble that failed miserably, both critically and financially -- and, to add salt to the wound, Lola eventually left him, after rejecting his offer of marriage. Denys has since picked up the pieces of his near-bankrupt life, and has regained the trust of his family. He's getting ready to court his childhood friend, Lady Georgiana -- and life seems to be going smoothly for him.

Until he receives news that his partner in the Imperial Theater has died, and has left his half of the theater to his former mistress. Old resentments, and old pain become new again as our former lovers try to redefine their business partnership. The power struggle is inevitable, but I felt Denys was really caught off guard by Lola's return to his life -- Lola plans to revive her theater career, and prove to the London theater community that she is an actress, and also plans to be an active partner in running the Imperial.

Lola's presence threatens to destroy the fragile trust that Denys and his father Earl Conyers have built up, and also threatens to destroy the budding relationship he has with Lady Georgiana. So much was at stake for Denys, and I didn't see what Lola had to lose -- she really could just pack up and leave any time she wanted: with or without her, the theater would continue to operate, and she would continue to receive her share of the profits -- that, and the money she inherited from Henry Latham, could allow her to live comfortably the rest of her days.

So why return to London? Why risk an established career and reputation in New York? Why risk a confrontation with a spurned former lover? There are a lot of unexamined motivations that drive Lola forward, and I kept waiting for her to realize them.

Denys, on the other hand, stood to lose everything he had worked for up to that point -- and, if I were him, I would have taken the option to sell their half of the theater (as he and his father discussed). but, there was still a part of him that really longed to be with Lola, and that's the reason he stays and works with her. Denys's motivation is simple: it's love -- it has always been love. During their first relationship, Denys was prepared to sacrifice everything and marry Lola, and it's still that fundamental desire that propels him to make the decision to trust Lola again.

There's a lot of tension in Denys and Lola's encounters -- so many truths unsaid, so many emotions kept hidden -- especially on Lola's part. She was worried that Denys would see her differently if he knew everything about her past, and, perhaps there was a part of Lola that doubted Denys's love, and she kept trying to test it. As I read further, I felt that Lola's doubts were unfounded -- yes, Denys was young when he first proposed to her, and, yes, Denys didn't know the full extent of her scandalous career before they met -- but Denys gave me the impression that he knew what he was doing, and he knew what he felt.

But, perhaps, Denys wasn't completely aware of the class difference between him and Lola, or that he chooses to ignore it. I understand that Lola worried about how her affiliation with Denys could affect his standing in society as Viscount Somerton. Lola knows she cannot be selfish, and separate Denys from everything that he has grown up with. She made the painful decision of walking away all those years ago -- it was a selfless, but painful sacrifice that hurt both of them.

I did love the idea of history repeating itself: Denys is in the same situation he was in all those years ago. They're getting a second chance at their relationship, and we wonder whether our hero and heroine have learned from the past, or will the outcome be the same?

Finally, I would like to see Lady Georgiana get her happy ending. While Denys explains that he made no overt statement about his intentions towards her, it was very obvious where their relationship was headed -- but it was all interrupted by Lola's reappearance. I really thought she and Denys had a very good relationship.

No Mistress of Mine is Book 4 in Laura Lee Guhrke's An American Heiress in London series. To find out more about Laura Lee Guhrke and her books, click below:
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Book Review: Will's True Wish by Grace Burrowes

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One of this novel's wonderfully novel treats is a family named after trees -- Willow Dorning is our hero, the second of many Dornings, a titled, but impoverished family. Four of them are in London for the Season, with the sole purpose of finding Grey, the eldest, and the Earl of Casriel, a wife. Will is especially invested in this endeavor, because, having his older brother married would mean freeing him from the responsibilities of being the heir. I love how steady Will is. He provides great support to his brother, the Earl, who clearly depends on him. He's also able to reign in his siblings. Perhaps his calm comes from being a dog trainer, which he views more as a passion project than as a means to make money. Will really, really loves dogs.

Susannah Haddonfield is also in London, accompanying her sister Della, and hoping to get her married. Susannah is also invested in her family's endeavor, because, having Della finally married, would allow Susannah to retire quietly in the country and enjoy her life of spinsterhood. On the surface, things seem to be going well for Della (and Susannah): she's enjoying the attentions of a handsome gentleman, Viscount Effington, who seems to be getting ready to propose to her at the end of the season, but, as the Season progresses, speculations about Della's parentage start to circulate around the ballrooms, and Susannah wants to know who is the source of these damaging rumors.

Then, dogs start to go missing, leaving a trail of heartbroken, and desperate aristocratic owners wanting their beloved pets back -- and suspicion falls on Will and his brothers.

I love how Grace Burrowes presents separate, but connected problems to our hero and heroine: it shows that Susannah, on her own is capable, and Will, on his own, is similarly able -- and I have no doubt that they would have figured out the solutions on their own, but, when they lean in, and contribute their time and skills to help the other -- there's just a magnification of each other's strengths and weaknesses. It was really exciting to see them work together.

Then there is their shared problem: Susannah and Will love each other, but Will (literally) can't afford to get married yet -- he has an older brother to marry off, younger brothers to settle down, and his own finances to take care of. He's asked his brother in-law to invest what little he has earned from training dogs, and he's hoping to reap the benefits of his investments some time in the future -- but not yet. Susannah doesn't really care about the money, but she respects that Will has goals that he wants to accomplish, and she's there to help him.

I'm trying to think of how to describe Susannah and Will, and they're really not the most interesting members of their family -- or the most distinguished. The most unique thing about Susannah is her love for Shakespeare, and the thing that makes Will stand out from all his siblings is his love for dogs -- but these are loves that both our hero and heroine have pursued passionately and diligently. They're really the boring middle children, but, there's something so comforting and so apt that these two would find and fall in love with each other, and you know that they will pursue this relationship with the same passion and diligence.

Once again, Grace Burrowes presents tension and conflict that simmer just a little on the surface -- a lot of it occurs quietly in the shadows and the backrooms of London. The author presents all the clues: missing pets, bear baiting, a titled peer who secretly desperately needs money, etc. It seems easy to connect the dots, but Burrowes excels in surprising you when you least expect it.

All in all, this was another satisfying offering from this beloved author.

Will's True Wish is Book 3 in Grace Burrowes's True Gentlemen series. To find out more about Grace Burrowes and her books, click below:
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