Geo Librarian
The Bunny's Review
My Cozie Corner
Books, Books and More Books
mademoiselle Le Sphinx
Musings From An Addicted Reader
Sharing Links and Wisdom
I am, Indeed Queen of All She Reads
Mallory Heart Reviews
books for me Book Whore Blog
Racing With the
Wind
The
intrepid daughter of an earl leaves Regency London for the Parisian
court
of Louis XVIII, where she finds adventure, mystery, and above all,
love.
THE
NIGHTHAWK Hugh Redgrave, marquess of Ormond, was
warned.
Prinny had dubbed Lady Mary Campbell “the Swan,” but no
ordinary
man could clip her wings. She was a bluestocking hellion, an illadvised
match
by every account. Luckily, he sought no bride. His work lay
on
the continent, where he’d become legend by stealing war secrets from
Boney.
And yet, his memories of Lady Mary riding her stallion were a
thorn
in his mind. He was the son of a duke and in the service of the
Prince
Regent…and he would not be whole until he had won her hand.
THE
SWAN It was unheard of for a Regency debutante to postpone her
first
season, yet Lady Mary had done just that. Far more interested in
politics
than a husband, she had no time for foolishness or frippery.
Already
she had assisted her statesman uncle in Paris, and she swore to
return
to the court of Louis XVIII no matter the danger. Like her black
stallion,
Midnight, she would always run free. Only the truest heart would
race
beside her.
My Review-4 stars
Now, I will admit that I am not a huge fan of historical fiction. Why? I always seem to find the books that either totally ignore history or indecently butcher it, or else I read about times that I quite frankly hate for their treatment of certain parties. However, this blurb tempted me and I am so glad that I bit. Where do I start?
First, the characters. I love, love, love them! I felt so close and connected to Lady Mary, she would do something outrageous or daring and I could see myself doing the exact same thing. Mary was no wilting wallflower, that's for sure. She's courageous, outgoing, and refuses to let her gender and the views of others hold her down, all very admirable traits. As for the rake? Hugh is a gem. He's funny, witty, with a hint of danger. In other words, SEXY! I was drawn to both of these characters, to the point where I'd start trying to give them advice and cheer them on (even though they can't hear me). The various secondary characters were all well done as well, and there are several whom I am hoping to read more about.
Second, the plot. While it may drag a bit at times, I was very thoroughly engaged, trying to find out what would happen next. I read the book in one sitting as I couldn't put it down! There were parts that were confusing and took some going back and re-reading to make sense. And yes, there is a bit of a mystery in the book, so it will leave you guessing. I also liked the plot twist near the end of the book, one last obstacle to true love.
Third, historical relevancy. Now, this is usually where I find the most problems. However, Regan did some excellent research. Regan even included an author's note explaining the various real life historical figures (such as Napoleon and Germaine de Stael) she integrated into her story. The blend of fiction with history was very well done.
Fourth, the sex. The sex was okay but this is the part of the book where the story lagged the most for me. All this drama occurred and then sex scenes (okay, maybe not exactly like that). But I was a bit thrown off. No, it wasn't "here, let's get it on," but it had been building the entire story. My issue was that I was so drawn in to the intrigue that the sex seemed to intrude while I was still trying to process what had happened prior. Other than that though, the sex scenes were well written and didn't go overboard.
All in all though, I greatly enjoyed this book and would gladly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.
Author Regan Walker's Bio:
As a child, Regan loved to write stories, particularly about adventure-loving
girls. But by the time she got to college, more serious pursuits were
encouraged. One of her professors thought her suited to the profession of law.
Regan says, “I became a lawyer because I thought it would be better to be a
hammer than a nail.” Years of serving clients in private practice and several
stints in high levels of government gave her a love of international travel and
a feel for the demands of the "Crown" on its subjects. Hence, her
first romance novels involve a demanding Prince Regent who thinks of his
subjects as his private talent pool. Regan says her stories will always involve
adventure as well as love.
Regan lives in San Diego with her Golden Retriever, Link, who she
says inspires her every day to relax and smell the roses.
Regan Walker Online:
All Romance
Amazon
Apple iBooks
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Historical fiction is a tricky genre, and I love it when a book gets it right. This sounds like such a great book that I will add it to my TBR list. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteSP @ Oh! Paper Pages
Great review!
ReplyDelete