The Handmaiden's Necklace by Kat Martin Review

The Handmaiden's Necklace by Kat Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I greatly enjoyed this book. I had been wanting to read it for awhile, so I bought it one day on the Harlequin site along with a slew of other ebooks. It was few months before I actually read it though.

The premise is an interesting one. Rafe believes that his betrothed betrayed and he leaves her for five long years. When they meet again it's a function and they still have that undeniable attraction between them.

Unfortunately Dani has become engaged to an American business and she travels with her lady maid and her aunt to the country to marry him and of course Rafe follows her.

What I liked the most about this book was how realistic the characters seemed. Rafe and Dani shared a passion, but both were hesitant to fall in love with each other.

There were a few mysteries going on the book, if you can call them that. Maybe the correct word would be intrigues? There's a subplot with Dani's maid, Caro Loon and a man she originally meet in the Americas. I thought it was well done as well.

I wasn't aware that there were two previous books to this series. I usually try to start with the first book. I thoroughly enjoyed and I will be buying the other two books in the series. Look out for review of those.

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French Kiss by Dee Dawning Review

French Kiss by Dee Dawning
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was officially my first erotica. I didn't want it to be Fifty Shades of Grey, even though everyone and their mother is reading that book.

I liked it, but I felt the story was rushed. I didn't know when I bought it, that the book had only 93 pages.

I didn't really connect to the characters and they seemed more stereotypical than I would have liked.

The change in POV from Rene and Cher was jarring. It wouldn't have been so bad if the author hadn't have done in it the same chapter. In a few instances, the POV changed from first to the third, so yeah.

Still I enjoyed the book and I might have a look at the rest of Ms. Dawning's works.

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Love and Louis XIV by Antonia Fraser Review

Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my first foray into biographies about the members of the French monarchy. I've long been a fan of Marie Antoinette, but it wasn't until I was searching for other books on different monarchy, that I chose to buy this one.

I want to start off by saying that before reading this book I didn't know a lot about Louis XIV. I was more familiar with Louis XVI and his wife, of course, but even then I didn't know as much as I should have.

The book starts off with Louis's miraculous birth. Anne of Austria was of course one of the most important women in the King's life as well she should be. From there the book focuses on the major women in the King's life such as his wife and his mistresses.

I was surprised that the author also talked about his daughters, granddaughters, and even great-granddaughters. She didn't got into a lot of detail, but she could tell that Louis was fond of his female relatives.

I liked how Fraser divided the book into the four seasons. That was an interesting way to do it, I admit. I might have to steal that for my writings one day :P

But in conclusion this was great look at the important women in the Sun King's life. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more of Mrs. Fraser's works.

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The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives

Life & Death of Anne Boleyn: The Most Happy by Eric Ives
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Since I first read The Six Wives of Henry VIII I have long held a fascination and admiration of Anne Boleyn. She represented everything I aspired to be and she still does.

I've had this book for awhile, but I've just gotten around to reading it now after several other readings of the Tudor era. Some of the things I had read before, but this volume managed to make the facts we know about Anne Boleyn jump off the page. I liked how Ives divided the book up by education, marriage, religion, and so on. I was expecting something different but this format was very helpful.

Even though I know how Anne's story ends, I couldn't but anticipate the ending to her story. I like the epilogue where it mentions is Anne vindicated by her daughter, Elizabeth's, accession? It's a personal feeling of mine but I always felt she was.

The only compliant I have about the book is the portrayal of Henry during Anne's fall. I don't know it just seems to make him seem more innocent or something. I don't think it was what the author was implying but by saying that Cromwell was more responsible for Anne's downfall is tricky. I think for it to have come to end the way it did even if Cromwell was the master mind behind Henry had to agree with it. I don't know that's just my personal feelings on the matter.


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The Life of Elizabeth I

The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After having some doubts with Weir's authorship with Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of Kings, I was glad to be reassured with her biography of Elizabeth I of England.

I've always loved Elizabeth. Her story captivated me. The girl who had lost her mother at such a young age and lived in such a perilous age brought glory to her country once again. I had watched countless movies with her and the fascination grew from there.

I knew of the important facts of Elizabeth's reign, but with this book I got a better look at it. Weir made Elizabeth come alive again.

The book starts where The Children of Henry VIII left off with Elizabeth's ascension. There are twenty seven chapters and an epilogue and even that didn't seem like enough to me. Luckily Weir a listed a great bibliography, so I'll be checking out some of those.

This a great biography. Weir doesn't shy away from Elizabeth's faults, but also praises her achievements. I was truly sad when the end came.

There is an author's note in the back about Elizabeth in film. I was a little dismayed when she took the piss out of the Cate Blanchett films since I love her portrayal of her, but with reading this book I can see the flaws of the film. Still I am planning on watching a few of her approved Elizabeth roles.

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