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Monday, 27 November 2017

Romancing the Scot (The Pennington Family #1) by May McGoldrick

Romancing the Scot (The Pennington Family, #1)




 
Blurb:

In this stunning series starter by USA Today bestselling author May McGoldrick, meet the new generation of Penningtons...five brothers and sisters of passion and privilege. Enter their aristocratic world…where each will fight injustice and find love.

Hugh Pennington—Viscount Greysteil, Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts, hero of the Napoleonic wars—is a grieving widower with a death wish. When he receives an expected crate from the continent, he is shocked to find a nearly dead woman inside. Her identity is unknown, and the handful of American coins and the precious diamond sown into her dress only deepen the mystery.

Grace Ware is an enemy to the English crown. Her father, an Irish military commander of Napoleon’s defeated army. Her mother, an exiled Scottish Jacobite. When Grace took shelter in a warehouse, running from her father’s murderers through the harbor alleyways of Antwerp, she never anticipated bad luck to deposit her at the home of an aristocrat in the Scottish Borders. Baronsford is the last place she could expect to find safety, and Grace feigns a loss of memory to buy herself time while she recovers.

Hugh is taken by her beauty, passion, and courage to challenge his beliefs and open his mind. Grace finds in him a wounded man of honor, proud but compassionate. When their duel of wits quickly turns to passion and romance, Grace’s fears begin to dissolve…until danger follows her to the very doors of Baronsford. For, unknown to either of them, Grace has in her possession a secret that will wreak havoc within the British government. Friend and foe are indistinguishable as lethal forces converge to tear the two lovers apart or destroy them both.
 




I loved "Borrowed Dreams" by May McGoldrick, which is one of my All-time-favorites and I seriously can't tell you how often I've read and re-read that book. "Romancing the Scot" is the first book in the series about the Pennington Family, the book about the next generation.
Everything that I loved about "Borrowed Dreams" and its wonderful characters, can be found in this book again. You can feel Lyon and Millicent in their children and their children's actions and values. Their pursuit of justice and of what is right, their compassion and their love for those around them, are the perfect mixture of their parents' qualitites that I loved so much. And of course, we get to meet Lyon and Millicent as well.

If you read "Borrowed Dreams", you might remember Jo, sweet little Jo, whose birth we witnessed and well, there's also Hugh, Lyon's and Millicent's son. We meet those two in "Romancing the Scot" at a time, when Hugh slowly starts to open up to the possibility of loving again after having suffered a terrible loss during the war. Enters Grace, a young woman who is saved by Hugh and nursed back to health by Hugh and Jo. Grace has lost everything but she might just have found the one place where she finds a purpose and maybe even a place for her to stay. If she can avoid being killed or being convicted as a traitor, of course.

Right from the start this book felt so right that I already knew that this would become another favorite of mine. This is a book that I'll definitely read again and again and again and that I'll have to buy in print as well as soon as it is out (and I hope that there will be a print book as well!).
Somehow I need my favorite books in print as well even though I almost never read them because I always read the ebook. Nope, it's not logical, it's that nerd thing, you know? ;-)


★★
 Oh, those if you who have read "Borrowed Dreams" will probably laugh as hard as I did, when Hugh and Grace start discussing certain books. Lyon and his refusal to read those volumes come to mind, somehow, don't ask me why, just - read yourself! 



Mann backt Glück von Marian Moschen








Bei diesem Buch bin ich hinsichtlich der Bewertung sehr zwiegespalten.
Eigentlich war ich hin und weg, als ich die ganzen tollen Rezepte gesehen habe und plante wahre Backorgien. So lange allerdings nur, bis ich die ersten beiden Rezepte nachgebacken hatte.


Geschmacklich sind die Endprodukte gut, keine Frage, aber bei beiden Rezepten waren die Angaben fehlerhaft und ohne entsprechendes Vorwissen um Backzeiten und Zutaten, wären die Sachen gar nichts geworden. Bei einem Rezept kann so etwas passieren, aber ausgerechnet bei beiden Rezepten, die ich bisher probiert habe? Das lässt mich einfach befürchten, dass es bei den anderen Rezepten ähnlich aussieht und ich muss gestehen, dass mir daraufhin erst einmal die Lust am Backen verging.

Mein erster Versuchen waren die Lavacakes:


Hier stolperte ich darüber, dass kein Backpulver oder überhaupt irgendein Backtriebmittel erwähnt wurde. Eine Suche im Netz ergab, das alle anderen Rezepte für Lavacakes Backpulver enthalten, also gab ich vorsichtshalber Backpulver dazu. So weit, so gut.

Normalerweise muss ich bei meinem Ofen aufpassen, dass Backwaren nicht zu schnell zu dunkel werden und sie häufig kürzer und bei weniger Hitze als angegeben abbacken. Dies habe ich hier nicht gemacht, guckte allerdings etwas komisch, als nach den angegebenen sieben bis acht Minuten noch nicht wirklich viel gebacken war. Ich habe die erste Fuhre Lavacakes also gut zehn Minuten drin gelassen, um dann festzustellen, dass sie viel zu roh waren und doch noch deutlich länger benötigit hätten. Den gewünschten Lavacake-Effekt, bekam ich erst, als ich die Cakes doppelt so lange im Ofen ließ wie im Rezept angegeben. Geschmacklich waren sie allerdings sehr genial.

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Als nächsten ging ich dann daran, die Marzipan-Mandel-Cookies zu testen.
Hier war dann so viel, was nicht passte, dass ich nachher schlichtweg frustriert war. Geschmacklich ist das Ergebnis wieder sehr gut, aber die Beschreibung passt hinten und vorne nicht.


Laut Beschreibung soll ich aus zweihundert Gramm Marzipanrohmasse Kugeln mit einem Durchmesser von drei Zentimetern formen. Diese Kugeln sollen dann mit Teig umhüllt und dann in gehackten Mandeln gewälzt werden. Anschließend werden die Kugeln leicht platt gedrückt und gebacken. Er werden so viele Cookies zubereitet, wie sich aus dem Teig ergeben. 

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Nun ja. Der Teig soll die Kugeln umschließen, also bestimmt die Anzahl der Kugeln letztlich ja die Menge der Cookies. Ich habe angesichts des Ungleichgewichts von Marzipanmasse (200g) und Teigmenge (alles in allem fast 800g), die Größe der Kugeln halbiert und bekam acht Kugeln. Sonst wäre jede der Marzipankugeln mit knapp 200g Teig umhüllt gewesen. Da diese Cookies auch noch sehr weit auslaufen, hatte ich auch so zwei Bleche nahezu kommplett voll, allerdings waren auf jedem der Bleche nur vier Cookies. Und irgendwo in der Mitte oder zum Rand hin, wie ein kleines Spiegelei, fand sich die Marzipankugel. 

 Auch hier musste ich trotz der generellen Tendenz meines Backofens die Backzeit sogar deutlich verlängern, damit die Cookies auch nur annähernd gebräunt aussahen. Da ich keine ungeschälten Mandenln da hatte, habe ich blanchierte gehackte Mandeln verwendet, allerdings hätte es optisch vermutlich wenig Unterschied gemacht, da die gehackten Mandeln sowieso im Teig versunken sind. Insgesamt schmecken die Cookies gut, zwar sehr fett, aber wirklich gut, optisch haben sie allerdings mit den kleinen, deutlich luftiger aussehenden Cookies auf den Fotos im Buch nicht wirklich viel gemeinsam. 

Vermutlich werde ich in Zukunft auch noch mal Rezepte aus dem Buch ausprobieren, da wirklich schöne Rezepte drin sind, aber in diesem Moment mag ich nicht mehr weiter experimentieren.

Drei Sterne, weil der Geschmack immer stimmt und für das Potential, empfehlen kann ich das Buch allerdings nur Leuten, die selber genug Erfahrung haben, um gegebenenfalls ungenaue Angaben zu erkennen und entsprechend darauf zu reagieren.





Friday, 24 November 2017

Forever Girl (Tagged Soldiers Book 2) by Sam Destiny












Blurb: 

Three weeks changed everything for Tessa Rowan. She knows what she wants, knows who she is, and what her heart beats for. Now, ten months later, Tessa finds herself back in the US—permanently due to a streak of fate. Jazz has returned, too, though the man she finds is no longer the guy she fell in love with.

Corporal Jesse ‘Jazz’ Connor has had it all—and walked away, thinking he could always make amends later. Returning to the US after months in hell proves to him though that sometimes you cannot pick up the pieces. Add to that the biggest mistake of his life and you hit rock-bottom.

Tessa won’t give up and Jazz won’t give in, but sometimes you cannot fight your Forever Girl… can you?


Forever Girl, the second book in this series, drew me in just like Tagged for Life did. It kept me glued to my reader and had me shocked, sobbing and screaming in frustration, and hoping, don't forget that.
After everything that has happened between those two, when the worst has happened and Jazz returns a changed man, this book finds Tessa and him struggling to find their way back to each other.

To say that it is heartbreaking and intense doesn't come close to describing this story. On the other hand, it is not just the heartbreak and the struggles but also the love they share, even if things are rough right now, their friends who try to help and be there for them and of course, Tessa and Jazz themselves. Amazing characters whose chemistry is off the charts and who make you feel that they just belong to each other despite everything else going down.

Another wonderful story about love, heartbreak, about the need to be there for someone, to share the darkest hours and the biggest happiness. It is also a story about the respect for those out there, fighting for their countries and everything they believe in and for those who love them and fear for them. A ray of hope that sometimes things might turn out right and a reminder that those around us, those who struggle, might need a helping hand or two and that a simple hug goes a long way to show that you care.

I loved Tagged for Life and couldn't wait to read Forever Girl and I simply loved it. So. Very. Much.

★★

Thursday, 23 November 2017

Tagged For Life (Tagged Soldiers, #1) by Sam Destiny











 Tagged For Life by Sam Destiny



Blurb:

Love is never simple. Love doesn’t understand a life plan, a needed vacation, or even lifetime dreams. True love marks you so deeply, you are simply tagged for life.

Life hasn’t turned out exactly how she thought it would for twenty-nine year old Tessa Rowan. She needs time. Time away to regroup, and have fun with her stateside friends. She needs forget all about looking for that all-consuming love she so desperately craves. So a trip to sunny California to see her friends is exactly what her heart craves.

Jesse “Jazz” Conner’s life is consumed by his service to his country. He was born a soldier. The Army is his home, his future, and undoubtedly his first love. His goal is to be the best, and to serve his country with pride. But when Jazz stumbles over a cute, but ragged looking blonde at the Monterey Airport, his resolve to stay focused on service is tested.

Tessa isn’t looking for a holiday fling, and Jazz doesn’t have the time to date . . . but neither of them can forget their first encounter. What begins as a chance encounter soon develops into a relationship neither is willing to sacrifice.

Can Jazz and Tessa find a way to be together? Or will they both walk away from their only chance at true love?


This review took me a bit longer to write as I got sucked in, again, while browsing through the pages when I was preparing to write the review - and I promptly read both books again.

I can‘t say whether this book drew me in right from the start or if it took me some pages to fall for Tessa and Jazz and their whirlwind of a romance but I can say that it kept me glued to my reader and made me feel and swoon and cry right along with the hero and the heroine.

Against all odds and especially against their friends‘ advice, Tessa and Jazz fall for each other. Hard. And irrevocably, no matter what everybody else thinks or says. (And believe me, you will get really mad at some of their wonderful friends when they try to save Tessa and Jazz from themselves...)
But what chance is there really for a happily ever after, when you know that your time is limited? That very soon endless miles of water won‘t be the only thing that will separate you?
And will all the heartbreak that is soon to follow be worth it?

I really really loved this book about love and friendship and about the things that really matter.
When I left Tessa and Jazz at the end of this book, I was very happy that the next book, Forever Girl, was already on my reader because...well, I had to know, you know?

Sooo, I can definitely recommend this book, at least if you have enough handkerchiefs and the one or the other pot of ice cream at hand.



★★

Wednesday, 22 November 2017

Scandalous Beat (Tempest #6) by Michelle Mankin



Okay, first I must apologize because the last weeks have been rather rough and I suffered a lot from headaches and lack of sleep so this site hasn't been as "active" as usual but...times are a-changing, fortunately.









Blurb:

A rock star. A stripper. Can a hookup lead to a happily ever after?
Juaquin Acenado.
A drummer. A rapper. A rock king.
My brother’s best friend.
Arrogant. Forbidden. Do-not-go-there-trouble.
The sexy Latino was too old for me when we first met and I was in high school. But he was my first love. I’ve never gotten over him.
Miriam Jackson.
Stripper. Exotic dancer. Her stage name is Queen.
My bandmate’s little sister.
Spicy and sweet. The spark that fires my inspiration. The rhythm to my beat.
She’s the one I imagine when I settle for the others. My ultimate fantasy. Only I can never have her.
Until I arrive in Vegas to record my solo rap album, visit a strip club, and there she is. Miriam was supposed to be in college, but she’s not. She is so not.
Sin City, a place where anything can happen, and I’m the only one in the band who knows her secret.
So why resist anymore?
Who could possibly stop me?


Juaquin and Miriam have been drawn to each other ever since she, at least, was far too young to even think of pursuing this attraction. They are torn between their feelings and the knowledge that these feelings won‘t be accepted by their friends and families, especially since Juacquin or King, as Miriam names him, is the drummer in her brother‘s band and, well, let‘s just say that Bryan, her brother tends to be a teenie tiny bit overprotective as their childhood was less than ideal.

Nevertheless Miriam dares to tell him how she feels – only to face rejection. Again. And again.
When everything else falls apart and she ends up working in Vegas on the Strip instead of studying at UCLA, those two meet again and maybe things are about to change at least if they are able to get over the rejections and insecurities of their past. When a mobster boss with a grudge is added to the mix, things get really rough…

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was well-written with an interesting and captivating plot. Many twists and turns kept me glued to my reader and when the worst happened, I was biting my nials (figuratively) and was shocked and upset and… When Miriam, Queen, slowly wins her life back and starts to confront her past, I cheered her on and was proud of her taking her life in her own hands. 
 
Sometimes, taking the first step will need a lot of courage but it will be worth it. It is never to late to confront the demons of your past and fight for a better life, a life lived according to your own wishes and your own plans. 
 
I loved to see Mike, her best friend and Juaquin care for Miriam and I loved the way all those guys stood together to help each other and those they consider family, no matter whether they are related by blodd or not. And, especially in these days, I loved to see the acceptance towards Alex and Mike as a couple as well.



★★
 
 
 
 

Thursday, 16 November 2017

Rogue Affair (Rogue) by Adriana Anders, Ainsley Booth, Amy Jo Cousins, Stacey Adgern, Tamsen Parker, Kelly Maher, Emma Barry, Dakota Gray






by 


Blurb:

When all else fails, find passion.

Even more new romances for readers who can't get enough of everyday heroes and for everyone who wanted more of the Rogue Desire Anthology...



Okay, different authors, different styles, so I didn't like every story as much as the others but on the whole I really enjoyed reading this collection.
Many of the stories are not only about love in all its variations but they do also show the impact that bigotry, intolerance, hate, and racism have on peoples' lives. And they show that peoples' lives matter, no matter where they come from or whether they are white, black or - whatever.
These stories show the love of many different couples for each other, some of them homosexual, many of them somewhat steamy (some others very steamy) and, well, some of them are also a bit rough around the edges and some are a bit sweeter.
These stories are like a caleidoscope of human relationships that shows how much diversity enriches our lives and our society.
If you don't mind a bit of steam, a lot of love and many different and colourful characters, this collection of novellas might be just right for you!


★★

 

Wednesday, 15 November 2017

(Sur)real by Melissa Haag








 Blurb:

My sisters hate their gifts, but they don’t know how lucky they are. They have a home and family. I have nothing. But, I am Courage, and I know my purpose. I exist for one reason only: to complete the Judgement.

Olivia is blind, yet sees. And what she sees, she keeps to herself. Her father conspires for control while Olivia does her own plotting with forces that only she understands. Now, time is running out, and choices that will impact the world must be made.



We've been with the Judgements and the wolves in their lives now for a long time and now, this book is the final book in this amazing series, this is the end of our journey, this is the book where the Judgement will be made. This is the time when Hope, Prosperity, Wisdom, Strength, Peace, and Courage come together to change the future of our world.

Well, this book definitely did change my world. It's not just intense but also one of those books that you should never ever read in public because it'll leave you crying, sobbing, tentatively smiling, hoping...and sobbing once again.
A rollercoaster of emotions, knuckle-biting, kindle-throwing, hanky-crunching action from the beginning straight to the end that kept me glued to the pages.

This book and its characters stayed with me long after the last page had been read. The fate of so many of them ..well, there are some things that happened, let's just say that it'll take me even more time till I'll even start to forgive the author, IF I ever forgive her...

Gripping, intense, emotional - a worthy finale to an amazing series!


★★



Tuesday, 14 November 2017

ROMANCING THE SCOT by May McGoldrick - RELEASE DAY BLITZ




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 An amazing new series by May McGoldrick 

that brings us right back to Baronsford and the new generation of Penningtons:












In this stunning series starter by USA Today bestselling author May McGoldrick, meet the new generation of Penningtons...five brothers and sisters of passion and privilege. Enter their aristocratic world…where each will fight injustice and find love.

Hugh Pennington—Viscount Greysteil, Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts, hero of the Napoleonic wars—is a grieving widower with a death wish. When he receives an expected crate from the continent, he is shocked to find a nearly dead woman inside. Her identity is unknown, and the handful of American coins and the precious diamond sown into her dress only deepen the mystery.

Grace Ware is an enemy to the English crown. Her father, an Irish military commander of Napoleon’s defeated army. Her mother, an exiled Scottish Jacobite. When Grace took shelter in a warehouse, running from her father’s murderers through the harbor alleyways of Antwerp, she never anticipated bad luck to deposit her at the home of an aristocrat in the Scottish Borders. Baronsford is the last place she could expect to find safety, and Grace feigns a loss of memory to buy herself time while she recovers.

Hugh is taken by her beauty, passion, and courage to challenge his beliefs and open his mind. Grace finds in him a wounded man of honor, proud but compassionate. When their duel of wits quickly turns to passion and romance, Grace’s fears begin to dissolve…until danger follows her to the very doors of Baronsford. For, unknown to either of them, Grace has in her possession a secret that will wreak havoc within the British government. Friend and foe are indistinguishable as lethal forces converge to tear the two lovers apart or destroy them both.


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Sounds good? Read on!
 

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Excerpt:


 Looking the shipping crate over for damage and seeing none, he retrieved an iron crow from a workbench. Jo was standing inside the doors, eyeing the box doubtfully from a safe distance.
Come closer. It won’t bite.”
Not a chance. From the smell of that thing, a person would think you’re importing cadavers. Have you also taken up being a Resurrectionist as a hobby?”
He patted the crate affectionately. “This sweet thing has been sitting in the bowels of a ship from Antwerp. You know what the hold of a ship smells like?”
Actually, I don’t.” She held a handkerchief to her nose and drew closer. “But I think you’re correct with the reference to ‘bowels.’”
Hugh took the first nail out. “Well, stand back, since you’ve become so prissy. Though I recall a younger version of you leading the rest of us through bogs and marshes that smelled no better.”
Of course! But as I recall, we had frogs and turtles and the occasional dragon that needed hunting,” she replied with a smile. “Very well. Open it and let’s see this treasure of yours.”
Prying off the top took him only a moment. Throwing it to the side, he pulled back the tarp that covered the basket and then stared curiously at the dark green rags bundled at the bottom.
Leaning in, Hugh’s enthusiasm evaporated as a horrid realization settled in. This was no pile of old clothing. A shock of blond hair. A shoe. A hand. The body of a dead woman lay curled up in the gondola.
Bloody hell.”
What is it?” Immediately, Jo was at his side. “Good God!”
Hugh climbed in and crouched beside the body. He took her hand. She was cold to the touch. His heart sank. The crate had been shipped from Antwerp. To be trapped for so many days with no water, no food, in the cold and damp of the ship’s hold. He had no idea who this woman was or how she came to be in here.
The thought struck him. Perhaps it wasn’t an inadvertent act. Perhaps she was murdered and her body had been dumped into the crate.
Dismay and alarm clawed at him as he pushed away the matted ringlets of golden hair. She was young. He lifted her chin. The body had none of the stiffness of postmortem. He stared at her lips. He may have imagined it but they seemed to have moved.
Bright . . .” The whisper was a mere rustle of leaves in a breeze.
The fingers jerked and came to life, clutching at his hand.
She’s not dead,” he called to Jo, relieved. “Send for the doctor. I’ll take her to the house.”
His sister ran out, calling for help, and he lifted the woman. She emitted a low groan. Her limbs had been locked in the same cramped position for so many days. Hugh propped her over the side of the gondola.
Stay with me,” he encouraged. “Talk to me.”
Holding the woman in place, he clambered from the basket and then gently lifted her out, cradling her in his arms. She weighed next to nothing.
As they went out into the rain, he feared she was about to die. The exertion of trying to breathe showed on her face. He’d seen this on the battlefield. The final effort before death.
Starting up the path, he stumbled, not realizing the woman’s skirts were dragging on the ground. He staggered but caught himself before they went down. Her head lolled against his chest, her face gray and mask-like. She appeared to be slipping away. It would be a shame that she’d survived the crossing only to perish now.
A dagger point of anger pierced Hugh’s brain as he recalled another dismal day when he’d lifted two other bodies, wrapped in burial shrouds, from a wooden box.
Talk to me,” he ordered. “Say something.”
As he made his way up the hill toward the house, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky above Baronsford. Thunder shook the ground and the sky opened, unleashing fierce torrents of rain on them.
His wife. His son. Hugh hadn’t been there for them. They’d died as he and the British army were being chased by the French across Spain. He’d been trying to save his men’s lives, not knowing that those most precious to him were suffering.
You’ve survived a horrifying ordeal. Give me the chance to save you.”
The woman struggled weakly in Hugh’s arms, and her head tipped back. He watched as her lips parted, welcoming the wetness of the falling rain.
We’re almost there.”
Bright . . .” she murmured.
He looked into her face and saw she was trying hard to open her eyes.
Yes, brighter than that crate,” he said, encouraged by her effort. Any movement, however small, gave him hope. “And you’ve been in there for Lord knows how long.”


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The author(s) 
 





 
Author Bio

Authors Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick (writing as May McGoldrick) weave emotionally satisfying tales of love and danger. Publishing under the names of May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey, these authors have written more than thirty novels and works of nonfiction for Penguin Random House, Mira, HarperCollins, Entangled, and Heinemann. Nikoo, an engineer, also conducts frequent workshops on writing and publishing and serves as a Resident Author. Jim holds a Ph.D. in Medieval and Renaissance literature and teaches English in northwestern Connecticut. They are the authors of Much Ado About Highlanders, Taming the Highlander, and Tempest in the Highlands with SMP Swerve.


Author Links







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Thursday, 9 November 2017

Fool me once by (First Wives Series, Book 1) Catherine Bybee









Blurb:




Okay, I honestly didn't put this book down once I'd started reading it. I was glued to my reader, following the ups and downs in Lori's and Reed's (love) lives. The story was intriguing and well plotted and its many twists and turns kept me on my toes. Of course, there was this one scene that I was dreading, the one thing that I expected to happen and that happened and, well, it went as expected but....

Yup, you should definitely read this book.
It is full of action, fast-paced and its characters are warm, standing up for each other, owning up to their mistakes and working at proving and redeeming themselves. Ruthless villains, mysterious women, amazing friends or - "first wives" and some swoon-worthy romance.

I loved the idea of the "Alliance" and the way Sam and Lori watched over their (former) clients, helping them, protecting them, comforting them - and finding close friends along the way. by the way, as much as I loved Avery and Trina, I must admit that I really really want to get Shannon back for good with Paul, just saying.

I was upset with Reed, obviously, as he messed up but as you could totally see that he was in it for completely different reasons than the seemingly obvious ones, I was prepared to forgive him and, well, let*s just say that his actions definitely redeemed him.  Especially everything he did, when things got really rough...
This was my first book by Catherine Bybee but it won't be my last!

★★ 



Wednesday, 8 November 2017

Lieber Daddy Long Legs von Jean Webster #RoyalBookRumble


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Vor kurzem habe ich im Rahmen einer Blogtour, dem

RoyalBookRumble

zu den 


aus dem Carlsen Verlags ein ganz wunderschönes Buch gewonnen, das heute ankam: 




 Fast 18 Jahre hat Judy Abbott im Waisenhaus gelebt. Wegen ihrer literarischen Begabung wird sie nun von einem geheimnisvollen Wohltäter aufs College geschickt. Der Mann möchte namenlos bleiben, Judy soll ihm aber jeden Monat einen Brief über ihre Fortschritte schreiben. Voller Begeisterung stürzt sich Judy in dieses unbekannte Leben. 
Mehr als einmal im Monat schreibt sie „Mr Smith“, denn sie hat ja sonst niemanden auf der Welt, mit dem sie ihre Erlebnisse teilen kann. Briefe voller Witz, über Hüte und Literatur, über neue Freundschaften und immer öfter auch über den sympathischen Jervis Pendleton.


Abgesehen davon, dass ich diese Geschichte schon als Kind verschlungen und immer und immer wieder gelesen habe, weil ich sie so wunderschön und gleichzeitig traurig, aber auch so wunderbar optimistisch und rundum positiv geschrieben fand, ist diese spezielle Ausgabe auch einfach traumhaft gestaltet. 
 Das Blumenmuster, das den Anfang eines jeden neuen Kapitels einleitet und die liebevollen Details, aber auch das kleinere, edel wirkende Format und das Lesebändchen, vermitteln einem schon beim ersten Hineingucken und Anfassen einen ganz besonderen Eindruck.

Schon das Cover ist ja ein absoluter, wunderschöner Hingucker, aber auch wenn man den Schutzumschlag abmacht, ist das Buch immer noch einen Blick mehr wert:

Ich liebe die Briefe, die Judy Abbott an ihren Wohltäter, den geheimnisvollen Daddy Long-Legs-Smith schickt, heute noch immer genauso wie früher. Wenn Judy langsam ihren Horizont erweitert und die Welt um sich herum erkundet, die ihr durch das Leben im Waisenhaus verschlossen geblieben ist, wenn sie langsam lernt, wie es ist, wenn man Freunde hat und sie immer mehr ihre Flügel streckt und nebenbei auch einen gewissen jungen Mann kennenlernt, der durchaus einen großen Eindruck auf sie macht, dann fiebert man mit, man lacht, man weint - vor allem aber lacht man, weil Judy einfach so lebensfroh schreibt und mit einer solchen Offenheit das Leben angeht, dass man als Leser einfach mitgerissen wird.
Manchmal wird einem durchaus bewusst, dass ihr Leben im Waisenhaus nicht einfach war, aber Judys starke Persönlichkeit und ihr Optimismus erlaubt es einem, mit ihr zusammen das Gute zu sehen und auch etwaige Rückschläge wieder wegzustecken, um gleich am nächsten Tag das Leben wieder aufs Neue anzugehen.

Ich glaube, ich höre jetzt dann besser mal auf, ich denke, man hat gemerkt, dass dieses Buch etwas Besonderes ist, oder? Wer es nicht kennt, glaubt mir, es ist einfach ein Buch, das man gelesen haben muss, weil es sooo schön ist! Und diese ganz spezielle Ausgabe in dieser wirklich wunderbaren Übersetzung rundet das Ganze dann ab.


★★

Du möchtest reinschnuppern? 




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Und wer außerdem auch noch wissen möchte, 
warum es diesen Verlag mit den wunderschönen Büchern leider bald nicht mehr geben wird: 

*Klick


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Tuesday, 7 November 2017

The Right Kind of Reckless (Reckless Hearts #2) by Heather Van Fleet

   









Blurb: 

I'm in love with a woman I can't have, and there's absolutely nothing I can do to stop myself from falling.

The problem? Her brother's my best friend.

I shouldn't want her this much. Not when it goes against the bro code. Not when I've never been able to commit to a woman for longer than a night.

But one look into her eyes and I'm a mess for her. She's my everything. And I have to walk away with nothing.

 

Where to start with this book? I loved it. It was funny and amazing and I laughed a lot and I swooned a lot and I giggled even more - and I fell for those guys, little beaner and all those around them once more.
Max and Lia are a wonderful couple with lots of chemistry and sparks that could light the sky, even when they are not fighting.

Max, Collin, and Gavin, three former marines, have been living together since they returned to the States after their last raid. Together they take care of little Chloe, Collin's nine-months-old daughter. The way these strong and very manly guys fawn over the little girl - simply incomparable. They are so sweet with her and protective, it is really cute.

Oh, their protectiveness doesn't stop there, it also extends to Lia, Collin's sister. Max has had a crush on her for a long time now - and she on him but due to circumstances (and Collin and, of course, Lia's history) they never acted on it. Okay, almost never.
Lia has been acting up and changed her style and outfit to something pretty badass ever since the fatal night where Max came to her rescue. Ever since that night, she has had major trust issues and, well, let's just say that Max reputation as a...lover of women...or something like that... doesn't really help.
Would he be able to change for the right girl? And how would Collin react to his friend dating his little sister (no matter how old she is and how good she is at kicking ass herself) if Max was able to convince this pink-haired, sassy goddess that she could trust him?

Another funny, smart and wonderful book in this series - I can't wait for the next!

Oh, by the way - you might want to check out Reckless Hearts first, it is not necessary to understand The Right Kind of Reckless but you might enjoy it even more.


★★



The Bride Who Got Lucky (The Cavensham Heiresses #2) by Janna MacGregor

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Blurb:
 He would do anything to protect her. Even marry her…
The son of a cold-hearted duke, Nicholas St. Mauer isn’t one to involve himself in society…or open his own heart to anyone. But driven by honor, the reclusive Earl of Somerton feels obliged to keep a watchful eye on Lady Emma Cavensham. She possesses a penchant for passions unbecoming a woman that finds Nick in constant peril of losing his well-structured solitude. She even dared kiss Nick once—an utterly unladylike, and delightful, lapse…

Emma can’t deny the appeal of the earl’s attention, and occasional affection, but she has no need for a man. There are worse fates than spinsterhood, as Emma knows too well. She still mourns the loss of her dear friend Lena, and is determined to prove Lena’s husband responsible for her death before he lures another innocent woman into a brutal marriage. But as Emma pursues her prey, a compromising moment upends all her plans. Now, with gossip swirling and her reputation in tatters, Nick may be the only man brave enough to join in Emma’s cause. . .and fight for her heart.
 
 
If you have read The Bad Luck Bride, you might remember that Alex and Claire remarked on the probability of something developing between Somerton and Lady Emma. Claire was convinced that she saw something between those two whereas Alex was equally convinced that Somerton would never allow himself to get close to a woman. Well, The Bride who got Lucky might enlighten both of them, whose assessment was the more accurate...

At least, she might, when all is said and done because our hero and our heroine being as opposed to marriage as they are, both of them with good reason and due to their personal experiences, do not exactly have a smooth trip when they're trying to navigate the marital seas. Their courtship, if you could even call it one, is overshadowed by Emma's loss of a good friend, bad decisions, adversaries and the everpresent rumours of the ton. Considering the fact that, originally at least, none of them was even in the market for a spouse, well, things tend to change and to change fast, when love comes along.

I already loved Emma's family, the Cavenshams after everything they have done for Claire and how much they protected her at all costs at the time when she was The Bad Luck Bride. You can always feel that this is a family whose members care deeply for each other and who protect their own. Once again they prove how amazing they are, even if the Duke and his wife are getting a bit upset sometimes, in this book and, well, looking at Somerton and his lack of a loving and caring family, you can but be very happy to see him become a part of this close-knit family.

I also loved that Emma was not just talking about the injustice of the way women were treated and what rights they had, her attempts at getting justice for the death of her friend in a man's world but that she was also doing something about it and that her family was backing her up.
I already said that I loved this family, right?

Well written with lots of action, wit, and a well-plotted story, I really enjoyed reading this book and can definitely recommend it!
 
★★★