Romancing the Dukes: Castles Ever After by Tessa Dare

3.5 Stars

I positively LOVE Tessa Dare, but this was not my favorite of her books.  It was still above average and I look forward to the next book in the series.  In fact, I have pre-ordered it.  I think one of my least favorite aspects of it is that the main character, Izzy is constantly referring to how unattractive she is.  It matters very little to the hero (Ransome, the Duke of Rothbury), but nevertheless, firstly I prefer my heroines to be pretty.  I don’t want to read a romance book about someone unattractive.  I have enough of dealing with real life, I read for the adventure, for the escape. Everyone likes a main character they can identify with and I personally don’t WANT to identify with someone who is ugly.  I liked the rest of the character development. 

I absolutely loved that Izzy’s father had created this cult of followers of his writings that were quite fantastical.  I loved the nerdiness of this group of people.  It was quite endearing.

Izzy receives a letter from a man that claims that she has been left a castle.  Only upon arriving she finds the castle is being lived in and it is derelict.  What ensures is a quite amusing tale of the current resident of the castle (the Duke) trying to oust Izzy and Izzy being certain she is the rightful owner. 

Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove #3.5)

4 stars


This is the fifth installment in the series and it is a novella. We know both of the main characters quite well. This story is about the eldest Highwood sister, Diana and (obviously) the blacksmith, Mr. Aaron Dawes. They have both had their eye on the other since the night they worked together to save…I can’t remember his name, but in the first book there is a boy who requires his food amputated. Quite a strange time to fall in love but that is when it happens!

Since this is a novella, it is obviously short and to the point. Diana was never my favorite Highwood, but in getting to know her in this book we find she is more than kind and beautiful. She longs to be her own person and this story tells how this happens. Aaron is a big, brawny, soft-hearted blacksmith…enough said. Diana’s mother is her usual annoying self. At the end, the author tries to redeem her, but at this point it is too little too late and the damage is done. I do not care why she acts the way she does, I just don’t care for the mother.

The next book is Any Duchess Will Do. I am sure I will read this book, but I am not nearly as excited as I was for the others. We just met Pauline in this book when Fosbury tries to convince Aaron to go after her instead of Diana. I do not believe we have met the man yet.

Favorite Quote:

“They are a great many situations a woman might do well to drive away from. Very few where it’s advisable to shoot her way out.”

A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare

4 stars

This was the 4th installment in the Spindle Cove series. Some are full length novels and some are novellas, but they are all good. This one follows Miss Kate Taylor, the town’s music tutor and Corporal Thorne who is in charge of the town’s militia.

Thorne has known Kate her whole life and is afraid that she will recognize him. When she doesn’t he vows to stay away from her (you know, for her own good). Miss Taylor is an orphan who grew up in a girls home and has never known her family. Very early in the story, the Grammercy’s (a well to do but somewhat scandalous family) come to Spindle Cove searching for Kate. They think she might be a long lost cousin and want to sleuth it out. Thorne wants to protect her from the Grammercy’s and he doesn’t trust them and states that Kate and he are engaged. The rest of the story follows Kate and Thorne through their phony engagement and through Kate finding out whether she has a family or not.

I love this series! I haven’t read anything else by this author so I can’t say whether it is all fabulous, but the author has a way of writing that is quite funny.

Favorite Quote: Thorne to Kate:

“If I hadn’t spent the last year thinking of you as a lady, I promise you—things would be different between us.”

A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove #2)

4 Stars

This is the second novel in this series.  We have seen Susanna Finch and Bram, the new Earl of Rycliff married, and Violet Winterbottom with her Christian and now we watch as Minera Highwood teams up with Viscount Colin Sandhurt.  These two are highly unlikely.  I would say my least favorite part of this book was how Minerva’s mother spoke to her.  I think her mother must love her, but she treated her like poo!  This book was not as humorous as the first one, but I still enjoyed it. 

Minera is a geologist and can usually be found around the cave or off reading somewhere.  Colin can’t remember her name and calls her every “M” name under the sun.  That was my favorite part of it.  Colin clearly did it on purpose just to bother Minerva, but I especially loved it when he called her “Min.”  Minerva wants to attend the Royal Geological Society Symposium in Scotland, but needs to find a way there.  She somehow finagles Colin to agree to take her even knowing she will be ruined when she returns.  She leaves a note saying they are eloping and off they go.  Colin is charming and manages to charm their way across England from ride to ride.  They take on many guises and Minerva comes out of her shell along the way.  Colin also faces his demons that we are introduced to in the first novel.  He can’t sleep alone, he has nightmares since his parents died before his eyes as a child.  Minerva will try to soothe these demons as part of the agreement is she must sleep with him on the journey.  I do mean sleep and not “sleep”.  Of course that proves difficult for them to keep their patties to themselves.  Perhaps Minerva will be actually ruined and not just in appearances. 

Favorite Quote:

“Surprise.”  He kissed the tip of her nose.  “You’re marrying me.”

Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cover #1.5)

4 Stars

This little novella (or is it a novelette?) takes place between A Night to Surrender and A Week to be Wicked.  The main characters are Violet Winterbottom (whom we meet briefly in A Night to Surrender) and a mysterious man.  Everyone on Spindle Cove is celebrating Christmas Eve at Summerfield when a mysterious, wet, wounded and handsome man barges in and collapses at Violet’s feet.  He apparently only speaks Breton and Violet is the only one who can somewhat communicate with him.  Bram isn’t convinced he is an innocent and sends out him men to start scouting for an invasion or other goings on.  Susanna stitches his head wound and Violet is left with the mystery man, and Fosbury and Finn (who is still mentally recovered from having his foot amputated).  Violet thinks this man may be The Disappointment from her past, so she attempts to draw him out by telling of her scandalous past.  He doesn’t take the bait and she is confused. 

A Night To Surrender by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove #1)

5 Stars

I had this book for a while, but for the life of me I can’t imagine what caused me to put it off for so long.  I adored everything about it.  The hero was big and strong, appropriately manly, and firmly against marriage…and of course handsome.  The heroine was smart and beautiful and not even a bit annoying.  Many authors can’t quite get the hang of giving the heroine’s issues to make them real and human, but not making them annoying!  Tessa Dare does it perfect.  Both Susanna and Bram have their own hang ups that prevent them from fully enjoying each other.  I loved the banter between the two of them.  This author has no trouble eliciting a chuckle from me while I read her works.

Bram is coming to Spindle Cove to plead his case to Sir Finch to attempt to get back into the infantry after taking a bullet to the knee some months ago.  He does not realize that Spindle Cove is actually a haven for society’s cast off ladies.  Here they are free to be their “best and truest selves.”  Susanna Finch (yes, the same Finch), is the leader of this group of misfits and proud of it.  She will defend their haven even while Bram attempts to build his local militia, drawing men from town and beyond. 

I have already started the next installment in the Spindle Cove series and can’t wait to read about Colin and Thorne’s own stories.  I would also like to read Aaron Dawson’s story.  And the scene with Minerva and Colin bodes well for their story.  Prior to that scene, neither Colin nor Minerva were even likeable.

(One of my) favorite quotes:  Susanna is asking for a moment with Bram after they have agreed to stay far away from each other…

 “It’s but a momentary interruption.  Just this once.”

“Just this once?”  He made a dismissive noise, rifling through papers.  “What about just now in the church?”

“Very well, twice.”

“Try again.”  He stacked his papers and looked up, devouring her with his intent green gaze.  “You invaded my dreams at least a half-dozen times last night.  When I’m awake, you keep traipsing through my thoughts.  Sometimes you’re barely clothed.  What excuse can you make for that?”

The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright

5 big beautiful stars

I absolutely adored this book!  It has been a while since I read a book that I couldn’t put down.  The writing was funny and perfect in every way.  I loved how the passage of time was shown at the beginning of a chapter by a written invitation to some event or another.  This was my very first Tessa Dare book that I actually read because Tammy Blackwell said she liked this author on her blog and Tammy Blackwell can do no wrong in my eyes (except not put out the little bunch of stories called “At First Sight” sooner rather than later *insert foot tapping*). 

I don’t know how many pages the book is, Goodreads estimates it to be 100 pages and it was a well used 100 pages.  The romance between the two characters was believable because it took place over such a long time. 

Super Short Summary:

Eliza is the fourth daughter of the Cade family and through a situation (that comes out later in the story) she isn’t allowed to be “out” in society until all her older sisters have been married.  She has her first humorous encounter with the Mr. J Harrison Wright.  He is a known rake and is completely unsuitable to be alone with.  The rest of the story is the telling of Eliza and Harry’s various encounters over the years that turn from humorous to amorous and I loved every second of it!  The only thing I didn't like was the title.  It was too long and elaborate to remember. 

One of my many favorite quotes: (This is when I knew I would love this book)

“I’m not a child,” Eliza argued with the closed double doors.  “I’m a grown woman.  With accomplishments and bosoms and everything.” –Eliza to herself