Elizabeth Tai

It was ... Ok. I probably would have liked it better if Alex's personality wasn't so annoying (he behaves like an empty-headed frat boy most of the time) and that Henry wasn't so bland (insert Disney prince here). Also, I didn't find it endearing to follow the exploits of overly-pampered, self-absorbed privileged kids; their banter was oh so annoying - seriously what's so exceptional about them? After the zillionth alcohol-soaked party, I was over these so-called millennial “royals”.

And I can't believe I am saying this and I am by no means a prude, there was just so much swearing and sex that it bored me after a while. (Sex scenes that were maddeningly all hints and no clarity.) And oh yea, they irritated me too.

Still, I enjoyed the premise. I can totally see it as a movie and the dilemma and the pain the two faced was quite heart wrenching.

Just wished they had more likeable personalities!

Tom is an interesting and unconventional hero - I suspect he's on the spectrum. Cassandra isn't a typical ravishing belle of the ball so she's able to deal with his many eccentricies in a way that intrigues him. So, their banter is the best thing about the book. The plot however, wasn't terribly original or extraordinary. In fact, the book was boring in some parts and suffered from a sagging middle that barely held my interest, so it was a struggle to finish the book without skimming.

Still, a good book for those who want to quickly pass the time on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

After reading so many romance novels you can almost predict the plot. Not this one. I love it that I have no idea what will happen next. The plot was refreshing, though I felt it ended a wee abruptly. I also loved the fact that our heroine is no helpless naive virgin and our hero a duke. I am definitely looking forward to more books by Kelly Bowen.

I have a question though - it seems as if Iain and Helena should have a book, but I can't seem to find it. If anyone knows the title of the book, do tell me because it sounds intriguing!

Interesting approach though I wish this book was more fleshed out.

I love the fact that Becca values an author's mental, physical and emotional well-being over productivity. So often, many author gurus lecture their students on getting of your butt and just writing. This method doesn't work for some and there are good reasons why. A fantastic book for the author who wants to write but not burn out or destroy her health.

The characters had great chemistry and I like that Angelique is no simpering miss. She's an experienced woman who knows what she wants. I'm also glad that the book did not spend too long ruminating on Lucien's daddy issues or sad past. Instead, the book is about about two people who had a difficult life coming to an understanding, then, falling in love.

Such an underrated book! If you need a step-by-step systematic way to evaluate your life without quitting your job to take a sabbatical, this book will outline it for you. Really good for those who want to gain clarity on what to do next in their lives.

YI usually enjoy Sabrina Jeffries' books, so was surprised by how bored I was by this one. Especially since I was looking forward to Joshua's story and bodyguard romance is a thing with me. But there was very little development spent on their romance - the characters seem to go from zero to 100% heat in a blink and I don't understand why they acted the way they did when they could barely tolerate each other at first.

4.5 stars. It takes great skill to write a good novella. Many novellas seem rushed and had a threadbare plot. Not this one. I really love both the hero and heroine, and to be honest, I would've loved to read a full-fledged novel of their story.

Seriously, if couples just TALKED to each other when they have conflict, 99.5% of romance novels would disappear off the face of the Earth. The problem I have with this book is the hero's hypocrisy.
So, he leaves his bride because he thought she had an affair with his brother. And then he goes on to become an adulterer himself? Now, I wouldn't have as much as an issue if he'd be okay with his wife having affairs after that. You know, an open relationship and all, but then he berates her constantly about her being unfaithful when he was flagrantly so?

Sure, t'was the way of the world back then, but I'm trying to enjoy a good romance not get aggravated.

Also, the reason why he suddenly falls for Claire is so flimsy I can't quite believe it.

Then there's the cray cray ending ...

Not Heath's best, alas.

4.5 stars! After the rather disappointing first book, I was cautious about continuing the series. However, Stephen's story intrigued me. In Book 1, he was introduced as the black sheep of the family, the spoiled, irresponsible ne'er do well who wrecked his brother's marriage. However, in this book he's a pale shadow of himself; a completely different person. War can do that to you. Stephen has been severely traumatised during his time fighting in the Crimean war. The problem is he can't remember what happened, which makes him beat himself up a lot.

So when Mercy appears at his doorstep carrying his baby, he is moved by guilt to do right by her, but she has a secret (don't they all)?

I enjoyed how Heath highlighted the PTSD that Mercy and Stephen had, and how they're trying to get back to normal, mundane lives in England. They both needed each other after the trauma they've been through and their growing love was very believable. Particularly enjoyed the family dynamics in this one, how his mother and brothers are trying to help him recover and get back on his feet.

3.5 stars. This was a long, long read. I also listened to the audiobook, and boy it's looong. I guess I no longer have the patience for novels this long, but it's a rip-roaring, Indiana-Jone-esque/X-Files adventure. Great to while the time away.

One of those books you wished you read YEARS ago. It's especially useful for people who have a new job or are transitioning to new careers. The learning curve for both can be daunting and this is where self-leadership vital. What I love about the book is how it highlights the different development stages - or stages in a learning curve, and what kind of direction or coaching one needs at each stage. Awesome book.

Writers don't just write, as I painfully discovered in my corporate writing career. Anne provides valuable advice on scoping, dealing with clients and doing good work in a business setting. A must have for writers who write for businesses - whether in house, agency or freelance.

3.5 stars. Graeme was more than a prig in the beginning, but eventually I warmed up to him. The lively cast of characters around our couple - Molly the fierce lady's maid and Lady Eugenia for one, enlivens the story further.

The “mystery” plot was typical of the genre - the villain is not surprising & also terribly convenient. An enjoyable romp nevertheless.

It's nothing I have not heard of before, but I like the authors' structured approach - it's a very practical and doable blueprint on how to increase well being in your life.

It's been a long time since I enjoyed a series this good. It spends a lot of time developing David & Murdo's relationship, which is what I really appreciate. But it also balances it out with a good plot that doesn't distract too much from the main core of the story but enhances it.

Useful for writers who know very little about health. As a person who reads deeply into this subject, the material feels thin to me. But it's a good starter for those who are starting out to explore this arena.

Absolutely brilliant! I am a self-directed learning junkie and reading this book has inspired me to form my own learning plan to beef up my skillsets in my current job (and for an entrepreneurial venture). Thanks to Laurie Pickard, I realised that I needed to beef up my business basics. As a writer for a company that services 11+ industry (phew) I had trouble understanding the language each industry uses. This means I've got a looooot of learning to do!

I hope that in the future, especially in degree-obsessed Malaysia, learning will be this flexible and freeing, and that employers will not judge a person by what uni they came from or what qualification they held.

I was quite reluctant to DNF this book. It's a book with a slow simmering plot, meant to be savoured rather than devoured. I wouldn't have minded doing this slowly - even if it takes me a year to finish this book - if the characters were likeable. Which they are not. Barrick & Briony are so whiny and such spoiled brats that the thought of enduring them for hundreds of pages to the end made my blood go cold.

On top of that I couldn't keep up with the dozens of subplots and characters in the first book and I hear it doesn't get any better with the last book.

The plot did pique my interest but this book is too much a slog due to the factors above. Like other reviewers mentioned - TW needs a ruthless editor to trim this book to manageable level.

If I was a student with time on my hands I probably would stick with this till the end. Unfortunately as a busy corporate worker constantly dogged by deadlines and whose free time is as precious as gold (or more), I just can't afford to do it.

This book is for more patient readers. I am, unfortunately, not one of those.

I really, really love Juliana. She's stubborn, fiery & sometimes a little clutzy in her goal to untether her rival Simon. Also really enjoy the chemistry between the two, even if Simon is a bit of a stiff arse. Towards the end when their animosity dissolves into passion (like, of course), it was perfectly delightful.
I listened to an audiobook with a really good narrator so it added to the enjoyment of the story. She gave Juliana a very light Italian accent that was not distracting - just right.

It's rare to find an m/m book that isn't made up of pages and pages of sexathons, held together by a paper-thin plot. So imagine my delight when I stumbled on this book and discovered that there was an actual, meaty plot going on and that we get to thoroughly explore the psyche, motivations and feelings of our main character, David.

From the book, we truly understand and feel the sadness, desperation and frustration of living as a homosexual man during a time when same sex relationships were not just frowned upon but is considered criminal.

David is a very upright, moral man and preferred to live as a celibate, refusing to marry for the convenience of it even if it would greatly help his career. Murdo is the opposite. As an aristocrat he's expected to marry well, and he is happy to treat marriage as a transaction and to “fulfil his needs once in a while” .

David finds this abhorrent, Murdo finds David's abhorrence abhorrent. ;P So, yes, these two clash often about this. The sex scenes in this book enhances the plot rather than distracts from it.

My only criticism is that it's only from David's point of view - I would have very much liked to read Murdo's POV to get a more rounded story.

I echo the other reviews - I wanted to read a book on how the no-buying year impacted her life. I wasn't quite prepared to read about her family & relationship problems. I totally get that it's her memoir and her experience - however I didn't get a clear impression how minimalism impacted her life for the better or worst. Still, I applaud her for sharing such a personal story with the rest of the world.

Oh dear where do I even begin. The hero and heroine, while being likeable was as bland as sawdust. The premise gets more and more unbelievable with each book - all the sisters (who are milliners) married to aristocrats? I guess I just couldn't accept the premise, fantasy or not.

But most of all, the romance between the two isn't very strong, and Leonie does protest too much towards the end, resulting in an eye-rolling forced separation that was there just for dramatic purposes.

I am not really into Scottish romances really but Enoch's writing was so smooth, the scenes so witty I actually finished the book in an hour. A fun romp but nothing out of the ordinary - meaning I can see the plot twists a mile away. Still, enjoyed it for what it's worth.