Reading Romance: The Iron Duke, by Meljean Brook

For those of you who are clueless, steampunk is a genre set in an alternate past, often with Victorian-era elements melded with industrial technology. Think airships, brass goggles, and the film Wild, Wild West. The Iron Dukeis steampunk romance with hot sex and more imagination than you'll find in most science fiction or fantasy novels. 

Together with Gail Carriger, Brook has set the standard for steampunk romance. This book has it all--tall, dark and handsome hero, smart heroine, and a world rich in detail and alternate history. Setting is industrial London, recently freed from the tyranny of the (Mongol) Horde. Citizens are 'infected' with nanoagents--which has some serious mind-control implications--and almost everyone has some cyborgian body technology. 

Brook wrecks havoc on British class conceits: her duke is a former pirate who was ennobled for destroying the basis of Horde power in England. Mina, the heroine, is daughter of an earl, but has the physical characteristics that mark her as half-Horde. Not Good. An unusual murder brings them together and from there the action is non-stop. 

The Iron Duke defies categorization (so thank heaven it got published--kudos to Brook's agent and editor). It's part adventure, murder mystery, romance, and alternate history with doses of speculative biology and political intrigue. The romance competes with the mystery/adventure plot and the technology, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Even so, the hero and heroine are on stage the entire time and their relationship provides much of the drama. The characters are completely original, while remaining believable. The sex scenes are steamy, explicit and wouldn't be out of place in an erotic romance. They're also very well written. 

[SPOILER] 
A couple of minor issues kept this book from being a five-star keeper: The duke behaves out of character when he kicks Mina off the Terror. I didn't buy it, and Mina wouldn't buy it either. Second quibble: Mina's mother fashions a clockwork heart in thirty seconds. Seriously? Without tools, time, or specs? [I suspect both of these scenes suffered from an editorial imperative to cut text. If so, that's too bad.] 

While the romance is satisfying, the real reward of this book is taking a detour into a strange world peopled with intriguing, complex characters and an array of technology that's so inventive and well-conceived that it's almost a character itself. 

You don't need to like steampunk to like The Iron Duke. (You don't even need to know what steampunk is.) You just need to have a willingness to go someplace that's completely alien yet eerily familiar.

Reading Romance: Bet Me, by Jennifer Crusie

Ebooks and audiobooks have expanded my reading horizons in ways that I never expected. Now that I can read samples and download audiobooks from the library onto my PC, I am willing to try all sorts of things that I'd never spend money on to try. (I'm cheap, and I don't take risks on unknown authors.)

I do a ton of contemporary quilting, and I like to listen to books while I do so. My library has a ton of romance audiobooks, but few of them are historicals. So I decided to give Jennifer Crusie a try. I know--how can I never have read Jennifer Crusie? Very simple: I don't like contemporaries. Or at least that's what I thought.

I cannot describe how much I enjoyed this book. It's spot on in so many ways--the heroine, Min, is plump, difficult, and independent. The beta hero is just . . . dreamy. Their interactions are funny and sweet and ring true in so many ways.

If I have any criticisms, it's that some of the secondary characters are one dimensional--the hero's mother, for example, is a stereotypical ice queen, while the heroine's is obsessed with her daughter's weight and getting her married off and not much else. Still, the dialogue and pace made up for these minor shortcomings. Like so many of Julia Quinn's characters, Crusie's are fundamentally decent. They're real people who are trying to do the right thing, survive heartache, and find love in the modern world. I can't believe it's taken me so long to discover Jennifer Crusie, but I'm glad that I finally did. I'll be buying her books from now on. And that might just mean that I now read [gasp] contemporaries.

Review: My Lord and Spymaster, by Joanna Bourne

I've been saving this book. Whenever I'm taking a look at my shelves, wondering what to read next, I've paused, then passed it by. A Jo Bourne book is sort of like a piece of really good chocolate--you need to save it for when you really need it.

I eventually gave in, in part because there's a future book on the horizon. Granted, it's not for TEN MORE MONTHS (November 2011), which is a painfully long time to wait, especially since Black Hawk is Adrian's story. Anyway, back to the review...

Spymaster is, as you've probably guessed, about spies. Yay! Regency-era spies, which are the best kind. Some romance readers like space pirates (I'm not thinking of anyone in particular, mind you), some readers like Navy SEALS. I like spies. Clever, intriguing, good-with-their-hands spies. Who carry knives in their boots and pick locks and think of breaking and entering as a good evening's entertainment.

The Spymaster plot revolves around Jess Whitby, who is a shipping heiress and accounting genius with an interesting history, to put it mildly. Her father has been accused of espionage and she'll do whatever it takes to prove his innocence. She hires Doyle (from The Forbidden Rose) as a thug and attempts to entrap Our Hero, Sebastian. Killing and death ensue.

There is also a ferret.

He is not a particularly friendly ferret and he and Sebastian develop what proves to be a very stormy relationship. Just in case you're unfamiliar with ferret behavior and want to be assured of accuracy, let me tell you that Jo Bourne knows a thing or two about ferrets. She is also very good at depicting male attitudes toward the favored pets of females--a sort of amazement coupled with forbearance.

Just in case I haven't been clear--I loved this book. While my favorite of Jo Bourne's three spy romances remains The Spymaster's Lady, My Lord and Spymaster is a superb read. Pick it up if you like historicals, Regency-set or spy romance. You'll be counting the days until the next release, just like I am. For an excerpt of Spymaster, click here.

Review: Song of Scarabaeus, by Sara Creasy

Loved this book and can't wait for the next installment, Children of Scarabaeus, scheduled for release in March (you can read the first chapter here). While Song has created a buzz among SFR readers, it isn't really a romance, though there are certainly romantic elements. Creasy sets up readers in this first book for what promises to be a multi-book adventure in which the H/H's relationship develops gradually.

Finn, the hero, is the strong silent type--enigmatic and intriguing (he cover artist for the book did a great job with him). Finn and Edie, the heroine, are tied together by a "leash" that will cause Finn's head to explode if he gets too far from Edie. Amazing plot device--wish I'd thought of it.

This book will totally do it for you if you like SF with biotech elements and evolutionary biology. There are a couple of amazing chapters in which Finn and Edie try to survive on a planet gone adaptively haywire. I was totally glued to the pages and actually tried to read while getting dressed for work.

SFR readers should be sure to get in on what promises to be an amazing series. Though Edie isn't as kick-ass as Jax from Ann Aguirre's Grimspace, I suspect that Creasy is going to go places with her character and I definitely want to be along for the ride.

New Review

Just when I think I've gotten all the reviews I'm gonna get, another one pops up. Thanks to Rebecca, a reader who recently emailed me, I found a new review of The Antaren Affair at Happily Ever After Reviews. Hunter made it a recommended read for those who like "hot, steamy science fiction romance." Thanks, Hunter!

Right now I'm reading Jess Granger's Beyond the Rain, which is SFR, and Anna Campbell's Regency-set historical Captive of Sin. Both are quite good so far.

I cannot wait until the semester is over so I can finish up Jholtan's story. It's been a rough few months at work--crazy busy with lots of committee work. So exciting. Not. Never figured I'd spend so much time in meetings when I decided to teach college. Sigh.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday!

Review: Open Country, by Kaki Warner

I highly recommend this Western romance set in the late 1800s in the New Mexico Territory, even if you're not keen on Westerns. Open Country got such great reviews that I figured I'd give it a try, especially since the heroine is a nurse. (I love historical romances with a medical element to them.)

The heroine is in some serious danger and meets the hero following a train wreck in which he's badly injured. Both H/H are believable, well-written characters with major hurdles to face. Though I loved the way Hank and Molly interacted, some of the best scenes involve Hank's exchanges with his brother. Warner really gets the way brothers interact, alternating affectionate jabs with smart-ass comments. She has a gift for dialogue, something that contributes to the page-turning pace.

Though the H/H ruminate a bit--Warner makes them both sufficiently introspective to pack some real feeling into the story--she handles it with the ease of a pro, achieving that hard-to-find balance between thought and action.

As an example--Hank works out his indecision and frustration by cutting a stack of wood. You don't hear what's going on in his head. Instead, Warner does take you into the minds of characters watching from the window--their concern for Hank makes his distress palpable. You can almost hear that ax slamming into a log as Hank lets out his anger and gets his head on straight.

Even if you don't think you'd enjoy a Western, you might want to give Open Country a try. I plan to go back and read Pieces of Sky, the first book in the three-part series, as soon as I get the chance.

Review: Warrior, by Zoe Archer

Me-OW!

Romance! A swoon-worthy hero! In Mongolia! With magic! And authentic cultural detail!

(Did I mention that this book takes place in Mongolia?)

Warrior is a Victorian-era romance with a big dose of magic and an even bigger dose of creativity. I'm not usually a fan of romance mixed with magic, unless it's set in a fantasy world. But Archer made me suspend my disbelief and enjoy every minute of it.

Being a shallow cover slut, I was initially drawn to the book by the amazing manly-man with the requisite firearm. The fact that it's set in Mongolia (a romance! set in Mongolia!) was extra-bonus goodness.

Happily, the setting is much more than window-dressing. Archer has done her homework and included convincing cultural detail in her story that goes far beyond "and, oh yes, this is romance set in an exotic locale." Even better, her Mongolian tribesmen function as real secondary characters, rather than as cardboard indigenous people with quaint customs.

This is true action-adventure romance. Our H/H are "on the road" (well, the steppe, and the Gobi Desert) throughout the entire book. The heroine is self-sufficient with nary a TSTL moment in some 300+ digital pages. The hero is deliciously jealous and protective, but never truly prevents the heroine from doing what she needs to do.

Plus, Warrior has one of the most delightful sex scenes (at an oasis no less!) that I've read in a long time.

I am looking forward to the next three books in the series and hope that Archer maintains the momentum she built with Warrior. As an archaeologist, I admit to a bit of trepidation concerning the second book, Scoundrel--the hero poses atop some Greek ruins with a shovel. I am crossing my fingers there's no looting by the good guys involved--that's worse than secret baby plots as far as I'm concerned. Book 3 is set in the wilds of Canada--yet another unusual locale for romance. And Book 4 features a hero of African descent.

Have I mentioned how proud I am be a romance reader?

Shameless Self-Promotion

Now this was a very pleasant surprise--a new review for Not Quite a Lady, which was released in April. Donna calls it a "must read for 2010." (Thanks Donna!)

The review is especially appreciated since Fall has arrived in Southeast Alaska--it's cool, rainy and all the birds are heading south. Plus, it's time for me to go back to the "real world" and start the fall semester.

In other good news, I had the chance to talk science fiction romance with the lovely ladies of the SFR Brigade who work tirelessly to promote the genre and its authors. I've read some great SFR lately, with Hope's Folly at the top of my recommended reads list. You can read my review at Goodreads.

Review: The Sergeant's Lady, by Susanna Fraser

If The Sergeant's Lady, by debut author Susanna Fraser, is a representative sample of what Carina Press (the digital arm of Harlequin) is publishing, then readers are in for a treat. If my schedule allowed it, I would have read the entire book straight through in one sitting. You should know, though, that this is no ballroom-banter historical, so if you want light-hearted smooching on the veranda, you should look elsewhere.

The Sergeant's Lady has a traditional Regency feel and is set in Spain and Portugal during the Napoleanic Wars. Both the setting and style reminded me of Carla Kelly--there are some gritty scenes of survival that are a far cry from Almack's or the Pump Room. The H/H are thrown together when their military convoy encounters a French detachment. They flee and make their way back to the main British encampment by themselves.

Forced to rely on each other, the heroine, a well-bred lady, and the hero, a smart, well-read, but wholly unsuitable sergeant in the 95th Rifles, forge a bond that rapidly develops into love. Fraser's writing is straightforward and unadorned, a style that works effectively to convey the setting of war-torn Spain in the summer--hot, dry, and dangerous.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which is, at heart, a story of two decent people doing their best to survive the miserable circumstances in which they find themselves. Fraser succeeds in making their class differences believable, but ultimately surmountable, given the characters of the H/H. She was smart to make the heroine Scottish, and therefore less rigid and high-on-the-instep than an English heroine with a similar lineage.

I have no doubt that I'll be rereading this book, along with anything else that Susanna Fraser writes.

Review: Hope's Folly, by Linnea Sinclair

I read Hope's Folly as part of the on-going SFR challenge and really enjoyed it. The book is a fast-moving military SF romance featuring an older hero/younger heroine. Virtually all of the action takes place aboard a military heavy cruiser commanded by the hero. Although I classify it as a romance, a ship sabotage plot and interactions between the officers are front and center for most of the book. In the mean time, the hero and heroine are doing lots of mental lusting, all the while attempting to talk themselves out of love.

Heroine is a kick-ass security officer and there is a lot of dialogue revolving around weapons, so extra bonus if you enjoy fondling firearms--the heroine certainly does. The hero is an alpha male, but in a noble, sacrificial "women and children into the lifeboats first" kind of way. I especially enjoyed his internal monologues in which he struggles between his physical desire for the heroine and his concern that he's too old to be attractive any more.

Sinclair really nails the insecurities that the H/H have--the hero regarding his age and infirmity (he smashed his leg and hip in a previous book and uses a cane throughout this one) and the heroine regarding her weight and height. Very believable, and an effective way to soften characters who could, in the wrong author's hands, come across as autocratic and inflexible.

If you've read David Weber's Honor Harrington series and like a bit of romance, Hope's Folly is a great choice. Although there are references to events that occurred earlier in the series (Hope's is book 3), you don't need to have read the first two books to fully appreciate this one.

A minor quibble--this book came out in 2009 and is set in the future (I was thinking four or five hundred years out), but the hero calls the heroine "Mrs. Guthrie" after they marry (she takes his last name) and the heroine waxes poetic about receiving her MRS degree.

Are you kidding me?

I have a hard time believing that the independent heroine, who is also head of security on the ship, would do such a thing. I had to resist the desire to smack her and say "Give your husband's name back to him. He might need it, but you certainly don't!"

The Galaxy Express Reviews The Antaren Affair

This is totally exciting news--Heather Massey of The Galaxy Express discussed The Antaren Affair as part of a longer essay that explores the intersection of sex and SF.

One reason I'm so psyched is that Heather picked up on some of the gender politics that I hoped would come across in the book. While I was working on it, I wondered whether readers would accept the idea that a submissive heroine could also hold feminist ideals--a desire for equal recognition and treatment of all persons.

To get at this issue, I created a semi-mythic woman called Tanat who had a relationship of equality with her male partner earlier in the history of the planet Antares (her role was sexual, her partner's was political). Tanat's life became a sort of cultural exemplar for later Antaren women, including the heroine, Meraya.

The problem is that over the years, the principle of equality in male-female relationships was lost to Antaren society, with women limited to second-class sexual roles, while all the power accrued to men. [Digression--Tanat lived in some misty mythic past, which is what made her life such a malleable thing in Antaren gender politics.]

Avar, the hero of The Antaren Affair, comes from a culture that values equality in human relationships. Meraya recognizes the concept--she's familiar with the mythic Tanat--but she has never experienced it. While intellectually and emotionally, Meraya creates a relationship of equality with Avar, I purposely don't translate that equality into any specific sexual role.

In other words, in my imagined world, Meraya can be submissive and still have equality, because equality is about respect for personhood, not about who's on top in the bedroom. (I would actually argue that true equality must, by definition, embrace a diversity of sexual behaviors.) This perspective, of course, allows me to have my alpha-male cake and equality, too.

I did consider giving Meraya a stronger role in the sexual relationship, but I decided that such a role would require her to abandon all of her ingrained physical and sexual behaviors (habitus, anyone?), which I thought unrealistic for a woman with her background.

This has been a lengthy post, but my point is that SFR is an amazing arena in which to explore gender politics. Since SF erotic romance focuses on sexual relationships and identities--critical components of gender politics--almost by definition the (sub)genre has something to contribute to discussions of equality, diversity, and identity.

So thanks, Heather, for a really provocative blog post.

New Review

I recently whined about the dearth of reviews for The Antaren Affair. The next day, predictably, a very thoughtful review showed up. Thank you, Eve.

This merely confirms that my besetting sin was, and remains, impatience.

Sigh.

UPDATE (24 August): Another lovely review just showed up here. It occurs to me that my whining has been rewarded.

Review: Jane's Warlord, by Angela Knight

I've talked about Jane's Warlord in other posts on this blog, but I realized that I hadn't actually reviewed it, so I'll remedy that shortcoming now.

Though billed as a paranormal, JW is actually SFR with time travel. The hero (pause to press hand to rapidly beating heart) is Baran Arvid, a very alpha male from the future, who is nevertheless gentle and protective with the heroine. Jane, our heroine, is in danger from a nasty man and Baran's purpose is to keep her alive.

Baran arrives somewhat unexpectedly on Jane's doorstep, along with a giant, talking wolf. (Okay--if I were reading this review, I'd stop at this point, sigh, and say "Great. Another talking wolf. Just what the world needs." Truth is, Knight write the wolf as a total smart-ass and succeeds in making him a fully developed character in the story.)

Jane has a strong negative reaction to the presence of a large wolf and an obviously very dangerous man in her house (did I mention that the hero is an alpha male?), and this gives Baran the chance to demonstrate both his swoon-worthy patience and understanding as well as his uncompromising committment to duty.

And, of course, in order to protect Jane, Baran has to sleep with her. (Heh, heh. I hate it when that happens.) We're only 50-some pages into the book by this time, but I am ready to throw myself at the mercy of an evil villain if it means that Baran Arvid and his furrball will come and protect me, and I'm a cat person.

The plot revolves around Baran and the furrball keeping Jane safe and preventing the evil villain from killing innocents. Did I mention that accomplishing these objectives requires lots of sex? (Just FYI, the furrball is not involved in these scenes.) Be aware that such activities are a bit on the rough side and there is, uh, alpha-male dominance involved.

Bottom line: This is fast-paced time-travel SFR with a clear focus on the relationship between the H/H, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea for the reasons discussed above. If you like your heros alpha, but with a soft side for the heroine, don't miss JW. And don't let the talking wolf put you off; he gets some of the best lines.

Review: Stardoc, by S.L. Viehl

I've been on a SFR reading jag lately and just "discovered" S.L. Viehl, who has a pretty extensive backlist focused on the character of Cherijo Grey Veil, an interstellar physician. Stardoc is the first book in the series. I picked up Stardoc because I'm a fan of romance, SF, and fiction that involves medicine or medical mysteries (Ariana Franklin's series about medieval forensic investigator is on my auto-buy list).

The heroine, due to a conflict with her incredibly overbearing father, leaves home for the frontier colony planet of K-2, where she encounters medical challenges in the form of over 200 different species. I really enjoyed the parts of the book that took place at the clinic as Cherijo tries to get a handle on alien physiology.

But I found Cherijo herself a less-than-sympathetic heroine. She seems pretty darn tempermental and reminded me of why I don't care for the Anita Blake books--like Anita, she's always on the verge of shooting/hitting/beating someone or stomping off in a huff. Although Stardoc has been classified as SFR by some readers, I consider it SF with romantic elements. There's a love interest, but this potentially fascinating character is incompletely developed. And I was mystified by his attraction to the heroine, who seems to forget he exists with alarming regularity.

While not a keeper for me, I enjoyed the premise of Stardoc and found the book to be a fast-paced read with a ton of interesting characters, many of whom I'd like to spend more time with, such as the compelling Duncan Reever.

Reading Romance: Beauty and the Scarred Hero, by Emily May

Despite the name, Beauty is a great read for those who love traditional Regencies in the style of Georgette Heyer. It features Harriet, a hapless young girl running away from an arranged marriage--a character frequently seen in Heyer's romps. Harriet has the good fortune to meet up with Isabella, the heroine.

Isabella is a bit older than the usual twenty-something misses found in romance novels and she has decided to remain a spinster. That is, until she meets Major
Reynolds, the battle-scarred and supposedly frightening betrothed of poor Harriet.

No need for highwaymen, smugglers, or evil cousins to move the plot of this Regency along. Instead, May focuses wholly on the principals, and it's a delight. Wonderful dialogue, lots of romantic tension, and sympathetic, likable characters make this a just-about-perfect Regency.

If you liked In For a Penny, by Rose Lerner, which I've also recommended, then I suggest you try Emily May. She also writes romantic fantasy as Emily Gee. If that's to your taste, check out her wonderful The Laurentine Spy. [Unfortunately, May's earlier Regency is hard to find and her Mills & Boon two-in-one doesn't seem to be available in the US.]

Reading Romance: The Masque of the Black Tulip, by Lauren Willig

Lauren's Willig's novels, starting with The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, aren't marketed strictly as romance, but rather as chick lit. They're actually Regency-set historical romance. And pretty darn good romance, too, judging by The Masque of the Black Tulip. Several years ago, I tried to read Pink Carnation, but found it . . . silly. I recently read a review of the most recent Willig book and it sounded quite good, so I gave Willig another whirl. What a good idea that was! (pats self on back) You can read about the entire series at Willig's lovely (pink!) website.

Masque is the second book in the series, and it picks up the story of modern history graduate student Eloise Kelly, who is in England researching early nineteenth-century espionage. The story moves back and forth between Eloise and the lives of her subjects, both of which tend to be romantically complicated. While Eloise's romance moves slowly--she is becoming attracted to the young lord whose ancestors she's studying--the story of the romantic interludes of her Regency-era subjects takes up the bulk of the novel.

The heroine, Henrietta, is an easy-to-like young woman who dabbles in espionage. The hero, Miles, is charged with keeping her out of trouble whilst fighting (though not very hard) his own attraction to her. Miles is a strapping, sigh-inducing hero, and the pages light up whenever he appears.

Although there are some brushes with too-stupid-to-live moments, none of the characters descend fully into idiocy. If I recall correctly, the heroine of the first Pink Carnation novel, Amy, was rather silly. She makes an appearance in the second novel, and is just as irritating as she was in the first. But Willig seems to have avoided this problem in the second novel, with a heroine who, though occasionally foolish, is, in the end, worthy of the to-die-for Miles.

I'm hooked now and just finished The Seduction of the Emerald Ring. The Crimson Rose book is on hold at the library, so that's next. Oh, do yourself a favor and start at the beginning. Although the series can be read out of order, it's difficult to follow Eloise's love affair unless you start with Pink Carnation. Or skip the silliness and start with Black Tulip.

Reading Romance: The Spymaster's Lady, by Joanna Bourne

Oh my. I just finished The Spymaster's Lady and I am tempted to go back and read it all over again from the beginning. It's that good.

I admit to a weakness for spy heros, especially the big, bad and dangerous kind. But spy heros abound. Spy heroines, on the other hand, are as rare as hen's teeth. Put the two together and you have one amazing book.

The Spymaster's Lady is a Regency-set historical with a nonstop plot, to-die-for hero, superb historical detail and a heroine who has had, to put it mildly, a rough time of it. He's English, she's French and together they're in a lot of trouble.

The novel follows Robert Grey and Annique Villiers, along with a couple of well-rounded and interesting secondary characters, on a desperate flight across France. The suspense is nonstop and very real, primarily because Bourne makes the reader believe that death is a serious possibility. This isn't some frothy spy plot where there's no doubt that the heroine will be rescued in time. The Spymaster's Lady has some very dark moments, but they're lightened by subtle humor and the heroine's absolute refusal to feel sorry for herself.

Bourne has made Annique's life a living hell, but she's also constructed a heroine who has the resources to survive it. Annique reminded me of Jo Goodman's heroines in If His Kiss Is Wicked and The Price of Desire. She has a personal history that really is soul-searing. And her present difficulties might very well be the end of her, unless she meets a hero worthy of her...

...and Robert Grey delivers. He is one hot and sexy spy. Skilled, protective, and deadly. Oh my! I was able to appreciate Grey despite the improbably chest-baring individual on the original book cover. (The reissue has a vastly improved and lovely cover, though it doesn't accurately represent the heroine--who is generally either disguised or in extremis.)

I could go on about the things I liked about this novel: the complex, multilayered story and relationships, the subtle details, the way the issue of language is handled (Annique's English syntax is charming). Like Jo Goodman's work, Bourne's plotting is complex and intricate. If you like Goodman, you will probably like Joanna Bourne.

Just in case it wasn't clear, I absolutely loved this book. Joanna Bourne needs to write more. Faster.

Reading Romance: In for a Penny, by Rose Lerner

I get most of my romance reading recommendations from All About Romance, which has some of the best written and objective reviews on the web. Sure, I have a list of auto-buy authors, but I usually buy the books of debut authors used or borrow them from the library. While I want to support the romance genre by buying new, I also hate to waste time and money on poorly written or plotted books. So I carefully read reviews before trying new-to-me authors. Anyway, All About Romance highly recommended a book by debut author Rose Lerner and so I decided to buy it new.

If you like romance that focuses on character development and the relationship between the hero and heroine, then In for a Penny may be for you. It has all the hallmarks of the best traditional Regencies, focusing on what's going on in the heads of the characters, rather than on their nether regions.

The plot revolves around Penny, a young Cit heiress, and Nev, the impoverished lord who weds her for her fortune. These characters are sympathetic, believable, and fundamentally decent human beings. I liked spending time with them.

Most of the action takes place after Penny and Nev wed. They return to his ancestral home and find that the entire district has been impoverished and is likely to rise in rebellion. Unlike a lot of romance novel plots, which feature evil villains, In for a Penny uses the upset caused by the Corn Laws to create part of the tension and suspense. The rest comes from the growing pains in the relationship between Penny and Nev.

In for a Penny has all the period detail, relationship development, and sweetness of the best trads. I look forward to reading Lerner's next book in January 2011. And, oh yes, I'll be buying it new.

Reading Romance: Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter

I picked up Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter from my TBR pile yesterday, and I'm already about half-way done. It's a really engaging read. Plus, I've enjoyed Madeline Hunter's books from the very beginning, when she wrote a set of three fine medieval romances, By Design, By Arrangement, and By Possession nearly ten years ago. Ms. Hunter was also kind enough to reply to an e-mail I sent her about balancing the two worlds of romance writing and university academics (she's a professor of art history). She really is as nice as she looks in that author photo at the back of her books. Here's a link to her website.

Anyway, Ravishing in Red is the story of how a young woman is compromised and how she and the gentleman involved deal with it. What I enjoy is the way that Hunter treats being compromised as a real disaster. There is genuine mortification involved when the heroine, Ms. Kelmsleigh, sees herself portrayed in lewd engravings sold on London street corners. The hero is an MP and the brother of a peer, and his career is totally run off the rails when gossip paints him as a ravisher of innocent young ladies. He's actually concerned about his honor as a gentleman and about the ton's perception of him as violent blackguard. I found this believable and much more period-accurate than the more typical scenarios that we see in romance novels: "Whoops! We've been caught kissing! Guess we ought to get married!"

Ravishing also has a secondary plot involving the heroine's father and a war-profiteering scandal. This, too, rings true, despite the somewhat silly and mysterious "domino" character.

I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Provocative in Pearls.