One Touch of Magic
Amanda McCabe
6-03 Signet
Rated 3.5 (Good)
Read 6.10.03
Always awakening before his lips touches hers; Sarah's recurring dream of a golden Viking spills over into her daily life when she meets the new Marquis of Ransome.
Miles Rutledge; a tall, well muscled military veteran of the Napoleonic Wars; is set on making use of his newly inherited lands to help the disadvantaged soldiers returning home to England.
When Miles meets Sarah, his idea of moving her archeological team off of prime farmland is dealt a blow. He knows he must, but his lonely heart is smitten.
Elements of mystery, a lost treasure and a delicious reoccurring dream that plagues the heroine are a few of the interesting parts of "One Touch of Magic".
Well crafted hero and heroine, secondary characters integral to the story line and a villain that took me by surprise; made
for a pleasurable reading experience.
---Marilyn Malone
Abducting Amy
June Calvin
July 2003 Signet
Rating 3.0 (light afternoon read)
Read 6-03-03
"Once bitten, twice shy"...
Maxmillian Follett, now Earl of Maxbridge has a poor view of women. Young and naive, he fell in love. Encouraged by the girl's parents to get the approval of his elder brother, he took her to meet his family. Once there, the girl settled her sights on his brother and Max was forgotten. His love dropped him; married his brother.
So for many years Max has suspected women of being coldhearted fortune hunters.
Enter Amy Armstrong, beautiful beyond words; her beauty stopping men in their tracks. Needless to say, she is poor and her uncle is forcing her to marry the richest man who will offer for her.
Max, though trusting no female, can not remove Amy from his thoughts. He wants to believe her sincere, but knows her uncle is essentially selling her to the highest bidder.
I found Amy and her uncle both to be manipulative of the people about them. Amy, I expect, to survive the situation she was in. It was unique to see the ways she could manage her uncle, yet could not seek a way out of her situation.
The title "Abducting Amy" is apt! Every man is overwhelmed by her beauty and she is abducted several times. Almost became a routine thing (grin).
I was confused by the uncle. He was supposed to be the villain of the story. First, I was made to be disgusted by his manner and ideas; then the author would make me feel rather sorry for his predicament, then he would do something mean and cruel again. I finally ended up being just plain disgusted with him (grin).
---Marilyn Malone
The Defiant Miss Foster
Melinda McRae
Signet 8-03
Read 7-7-03
Rating 3.0 (pleasant afternoon read)
The Defiant Miss Foster has a promising start as unwary ex-cavalryman Val Denbeham, (Fifth Baron Newkirk) is shocked to discover he is guardian of five children.
Two days later, Val finds himself at the dilapidated Foster estate.
The antics of the children make for a lively story, humor is sprinkled throughout the book.
His thoughts about the responsiblity of five children and his plans for them; brought a smile to my face. His initial meeting with the children is unique and funny. Kat definitely made an impression on me here with her dealing with Val. This was the highlight of the book for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Val absorb his duties to wards that had been nonexistent two days earlier. His male response to children and then realizing one of the breeches wearing boys is actually a young woman; brought a smile to my face.
The predictable guardian/ward storyline takes over and the character development of Val stalls. He is no longer coming up with fresh ideas to deal with the Fosters. He deals with the boys, and is stumped over what to do with Kat. He tricks her to running off to his sister's home with the hope that Sophie can make a lady out of Kat! The inevitable trip to London to marry her off occurs; though a trip to Almack's is unusually dismissed as not needed to further the husband search for Kat.
"Kat" Foster is a breeches-wearing and horse crazy young woman raised with four brothers; thus she thinks and acts like a boy. Her attitude gets her into trouble and most of the story is about her attempts for control and to make a home for her brothers. She can not believe they are outgrowing their need for her.
No mysteries or murders in story, thank goodness (grin). The hero and heroine are at constant loggerheads for most of the story. She wants to do things the average young lady of London would faint at the thought of.
If you like wayward breeches clad girls, you may enjoy the changes Kat experiences as she realizes that being a lady can be more interesting than being a horse crazy girl.
Val's best friend, Wareham is an intriguing character I would have liked to have seen more of. Maybe later??
--- Marilyn Malone
