It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long

Thomasina de Ballesteros and Jonathan Redmond's book




It Happened One Midnight (Pennyroyal Green book 8)


by Julie Anne Long


Book Blurb:More than one beautiful woman’s hopes have been dashed on the rocky shoals of Jonathan Redmond’s heart. With his riveting good looks and Redmond wealth and power, the world is his oyster—until an ultimatum from his father and a chilling gypsy prophesy send him hurtling headlong toward a fate he’ll do anything to avoid: matrimony.

Intoxicating, elusive Thomasina de Ballesteros has the bloods of London at her feet. But none of them knows the real Tommy—the one with a shocking pedigree, a few too many secrets, and a healthy scorn for rakes like Jonathan.

She is everything Jonathan never wanted. But on one fateful midnight, he’s drawn into Tommy's world of risk, danger…and a desire he’d never dreamed possible. And suddenly he’s re-thinking everything...including the possibility that succumbing to prophesy might just mean surrendering to love.

I swear I say this every time I read a new Pennyroyal Green book by Julie Anne Long but I think It Happened One Midnight is my new favourite. 

Each of the book's storylines are so unique and It Happened One Midnight is just as captivating and as original as the other novels. As always, the characters are immensely likable and I could read their conversations and banter all day. Their dialogue is the magic that these Pennyroyal Green gems have me so addicted. 

Jonathan and Tommy are such a perfect match. They both have drive, ambition and are very loyal. Tommy never forgot where she came from and she made it her life's goal to help children in need. Jonathan, born privileged, moved passed his silver spoon upbringing and started to get behind Tommy's causes. Her passion became his passion and they were quite a pair together battling child labour. 

In previous Pennyroyal books, a gypsy predicted that Jonathan would have ten children and this time around, the gypsy upped the prediction to a hundred. At first it was silly but as the story progressed, knowing that he was going to be "Mr. Friend" to possibly hundreds of children, it just made my heart flutter. 

I hope we get constant updates in Pennyroyal books about their progress.

Teasers: collywobbles, Mr. Friend, Boom, decks of cards

Julie Anne Long - Pennyroyal Green $1.99 Sale!!

Pennyroyal Green is a fabulous historical romance series written by the talented Julie Anne Long (USA residents only)

Pennyroyal Green $1.99 Sale for USA residents!

(Below post swiped from Julie Anne Long's newsletter) 

Every single book in the Pennyroyal Green series is on sale for $1.99 at every e-book retailer—Amazon, Barnes & Noble, you name it!! 
That includes big reader favorite WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE (An Amazon Best Book of 2011), I KISSED AN EARL (which made theUSA TODAY list just a few weeks ago!!!!), A NOTORIOUS COUNTESS CONFESSES (voted Best Book of the 2012 by readers at All About Romance) and—well, here's the whole list:


(Links to Amazon.com below. All my reviews can be found on my Books Reviewed page)


~The Perils of Pleasure

~Like No Other Lover

~Since the Surrender

~I Kissed an Earl

~What I Did for a Duke

~How the Marquess Was Won

~A Notorious Countess Confesses

A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long

Evie Duggan and Adam Sylvaine's book





A Notorious Countess Confesses (Pennyroyal Green book 7)

By Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:She rose to spectacular heights…

From Covent Garden to courtesan to countess, beautiful, fearless, shamelessly ambitious Evie Duggan has riveted London in every role she plays. But the ton never could forgive her scandalous—if shockingly short—marriage, and when her star plummets amid gleefully vicious gossip, the countess escapes to the only legacy left to her: a manor house in Pennyroyal Green.

He never expected to fall so hard…

He has the face of a fallen angel and a smolder the devil would envy, but Vicar Adam Sylvaine walks a precarious line: resisting temptation…and the wild Eversea blood in his veins. Adam’s strength is tested when scandal, aka the countess, moves to Sussex. But when a woman who fiercely guards her heart and a man entrusted with the souls of an entire town surrender to a forbidden desire, will the sweetest sin lead them to Heaven...or make outcasts of them forever?

I confess I was not really looking forward to reading A Notorious Countess Confesses. I'm not a fan of romances with vicars and when I do read one, it's always the same plot where a vicar needs to tame a wild woman. Okay truth is, religious men don't do it for me. The difference with this book was the added benefit of the fabulous writing of Julie Anne Long who's style never disappoints. I couldn't walk away and not read it after reading all the previous books. 

I admit to hoping that A Notorious Countess Confesses had more humour to offer and my fingers were crossed that the story would be more than a vicar taming the "notorious" woman. I would say that Evie really didn't need all that much taming as it was more her reputation that needed harnessed. 

The story was just okay. Adam did nothing for me and Evie was predictable. I missed the witty banter that the other Pennyroyal Green stories provided. Adam just seemed lust driven and it was a bit lost on me why Adam didn't feel any remorse at all for having pre-marital sex. Is that okay for vicars? I would have thought his morals and values would have been a bit higher than a common rake. 

I was also glad that Julie Anne Long introduced the fact that Adam has a slight healing ability before A Notorious Countess Confesses because if she had just wrote that Adam simply healed Evie's maid by holding her hand and praying, this book would have been a DNF. 

I admired Evie as she was trying to keep her head a float and support the family that seemed to rely on her for everything. She provided some great tidbits of sage advice. 

I am a fan of the happily ever after but the ending was way over the top. It was too perfect. 

In June, book 8 comes out and I can say without a doubt I am very much looking forward to reading It Happened One Midnight. This book will be Jonathan Redmond's and I have liked him for a long time. I eagerly await the release. 

Teasers: "A vicar's job is where he belonged to everyone and yet to no one." 

How the Marquess Was Won by Julie Anne Long

Julian Spenser the Marquess Dryden and Phoebe Vale's book 



How the Marquess Was Won (Pennyroyal Green book 6)

by Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:The Scandal Sheets call him Lord Ice.
Ruthless, cold, precise, Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, tolerates only the finest-- in clothes, in horseflesh, in mistresses. And now he's found the perfect bride, the one whose dowry will restore his family's shattered legacy and bring him peace at last: the exquisite heiress Lisbeth Redmond.

She's about to play with fire...
But one unforgettable encounter with Lisbeth's paid companion, Phoebe Vale, and the Marquess is undone. This quiet girl with the wicked smile and a wit to match is the first person to see through the icy facade to the fiery man beneath. But their irresistible attraction is a torment as sweet as it is dangerous, for surrendering to their desire could mean losing everything else they ever wanted.

Although How the Marquess Was Won is a Pennyroyal Green series book, I think it should have been categorized more as a spin off book. I don't even recall cousin Lisbeth Redmond from the previous books and the story really wasn't about a Redmond nor an Eversea. Granted the setting was in Pennyroyal Green. 

There are lots of stories about a governess/school teacher/companion that have a whirlwind romance that result in a marriage that is above their servitude station.  The Duke/Earl/Viscount/Marquess in these stories follow the exact same story line as How the Marquess Was Won. Having said that, Julie Anne Long's fabulous writing and her character's dialogue sets How the Marquess Was Won well above the others. 

How the Marquess Was Won did leave me with some lingering questions. My biggest ponder is about how Phoebe came to Pennyroyal Green to begin with. The school sounded rather prestigious and the way Phoebe explained her story was that she was wild street child who was captured and whisked away to the safety of the school. Just who was her benefactor that arranged for her education at the school. That great education ultimately lead for her to be a teacher at that very same school. I don't think I missed any clues and it makes me curious. I wonder if the readers will ever find out? 

What makes Phoebe a fabulous heroine is that she has a Jane Eyre vibe to her. She is not beautiful but I gather she is not exactly homely either. She is highly intelligent and has a longing to belong. Phoebe is a wonderful conversationalist and has wit behind her words. I'd love to have a conversation with her myself. She has great comebacks and insight and it was no wonder that the Marquess was smitten. 

Jules is set up as Lord Ice but I never got that frosty feeling from him at all. He seemed like one of the more harder working marquess that I've read about and I got the impression that he was a really good man. I very much enjoyed reading about Jules and Phoebe's interactions. 

Lisbeth Redmond is a bit villainized in the story but I can't say as I blamed her much. Lisbeth is a victim of her spoiled upbringing and if she thought (and was lead to believe) that the marquess was to be her husband, I don't think her attitude was unjust. I suppose she felt the carpet being swept out from underneath her. Now I am not a fan of Lisbeth at all but I did understand where her feelings were coming from. 

Teasers: beaver hat hit, charcoal marquess on her bosom, blue ribbon cat demon disguise, damned forelock

Since the Surrender by Julie Anne Long

Rosalind March and Captain Colin Eversea's book




Since the Surrender (Pennyroyal Green book 3)

By Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:A Man of Action . . .
Fearless. Loyal. Brilliant. Ruthless. Bold words are always used to describe English war hero Captain Chase Eversea, but another word unfortunately plays a role in every Eversea's destiny: trouble. And trouble for Chase arrives in the form of a mysterious message summoning him to a London rendezvous . . . where he encounters the memory of his most wicked indiscretion in the flesh: Rosalind March—the only woman he could never forget.

A Woman of Passion . . . 
Five years ago, the reckless, charming beauty craved the formidable Captain's attention. But now Rosalind is a coolly self-possessed woman, and desire is the last thing on her mind: her sister has mysteriously disappeared and she needs Chase's help to find her. But as their search through London's darkest corners re-ignites long-smoldering passion and memories of old battles, Chase and Rosalind are challenged to surrender: to the depths of a wicked desire, and to the possibility of love.

Since the Surrender is probably my least favourite Pennyroyal Green book yet. It didn't have the sparkle, wit or charm that all the previous books I have read. Since the Surrender is book 3 in the series but I've read a good many out of order so really it is the fifth book I read. 

Since the Surrender has a mystery element to it which I enjoyed. I was having a hard time connecting the dots on how their investigation all got started or what led to the infamous "cow and angel" painting in the museum. One day I will have to re-read to see if it made more sense. 

Colin was quite a bit grumbly and gruff compared to the previous good natured Pennyroyal Green men. Understanding he was a victim of the war and a forever military man, the Captain in him was a bit hard to love. I sensed that is why the author perhaps created the much loved 10 year old street urchin, Liam. Liam certainly allowed for a softer side of Colin to seep through the pages. 

Speaking of Liam, I think he was one of my most favourite things about the entire story. Julie Anne Long's version of a street-smart, 10 year old boy was spot on. Liam was the smile that was cemented on my face throughout the story. 

Rosalind was a bit bland for me as a heroine. I wanted to admire her, and I suppose at times I did. I think what held me back was that Rosalind and Colin were unfaithful to Rosalind's husband when he was alive. A kiss is still a kiss and actually for me it was more about all the emotions that were behind that kiss. It seemed to prevent me from liking this couple. They both loved her deceased husband and I am grateful that the author added in that he forgave them. I imagine it is hard to make an adulteress story work and I would say that Since the Surrender told a very convincing story. In the end, I am pleased that Rosalind and Colin did find their happiness. 

Teasers: Mr. Welland-Dowd, Mr. O. McCaucus-Bigg, paying for petty crimes on your back, puppet scare

Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long

Cynthia Brightly and Miles Redmond's book 



Like No Other Lover (Pennyroyal Green Book 2)

By Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:Now or Never...
It's the last chance for Cynthia Brightly, the ton's most bewitching belle. Driven out of London by a secret scandal, she must find a grand husband at the Redmonds' house party before word of her downfall spreads all over England. Unfortunately, someone at Pennyroyal Green is already privy to the whispers of broken engagements and dueling lovers: Miles Redmond, renowned explorer and—thanks to his brother's disappearance—heir to the family's enormous fortune.

Miles set his sights on Cynthia once, at a time when the ambitious beauty thought herself too good for a second son. But now he's heir apparent, relishing his control. He strikes a bargain with her: he'll keep Cynthia's steamy secrets and help her find a husband among the guests—in exchange for a single kiss.

What could be the harm in a simple kiss? Cynthia is about to discover that it's enough to unleash fierce passion—and that Miles Redmond is most certainly like no other lover in the world.

Oh how I adore the characters Julie Anne Long creates. I'm giving Like No Other Lover a rating of 5 simply because I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard in an historical romance during a particular scene (maybe it was Lisa Kleypas' Scandal in Spring) and just from the sheer joy of loving Miles and Cynthia's story. So maybe there a few other reasons as well but those two are the main ones. 

As with all the Pennyroyal Green books that I have read to date, the writing is simply spectacular. I get so absorb into the stories, so lost in time and grieve when the story is over. Like No Other Lover was just the same. I have read a few of these books out of order and I am working to correct that now. It is so much better to read about each of these couples in the proper order of their romance. I certainly do not mind doing re-reads of the books I have previously devoured. 

Like No Other Lover was like no other historical romance that I have read recently. The entire story timeline occurs during a two week house party (which I normally despise), and there was no villain to thwart the affections between Miles and Cynthia. Thankfully there were no useless mis-communications or mis-understandings between the couple to hold down as the main plot. Miles was an intelligent scientist type of man that wore spectacles yet had a very commanding presence. I LOVED the story. 

I started out not liking Cynthia. I grew to admire her quickly and I was once again reminded of how women in those times were destitute without a husband. She may have had scheming thoughts behind her smiles but her heart got the best of her and ultimately love won in the end.  The parallel between Cynthia's position and the bedroom window spider was not lost on me. Quite relevant considering Miles' affection for the study of insects. Very creative.  

I liked Miles right away but not in a dreamy sort of way. I just seemed to respect him and admired his confidence. His intelligence was really attractive. He was not arrogant at all. 

Okay now my favourite part of the book. I don't want to give away spoilers but let me tell you, the drinking game had me gasping for breath and running for a Kleenex to wipes the tears from my eyes. I had to compose myself. To Julie Anne Long's credit, her humour is always spot on but when she write a scene that is deliberately funny, I break down in a hearty laughter. A very memorable scene for sure. 

Teasers: Spider the kitten, statue of David's penis, secretly entwined hands on a garden bench, "Oh Mr. Redmond. You're so interesting."

I Kissed An Earl by Julie Anne Long

Violet Redmond and Asher Flint, the Earl of Ardmay



I Kissed An Earl (Pennyroyal Green book 4)

by Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:
Violet Redmond's family and fortune might be formidable and her beauty and wit matchless—but her infamous flare for mischief keeps all but the most lionhearted suitors at bay. Only Violet knows what will assuage her restlessness: a man who doesn't bore her to tears, and a clue to the fate of her missing brother. She never dreamed she'd find both with a man whose own pedigree is far from impeccable

"Savage" is what the women of the ton whisper about the newly styled Earl of Ardmay—albeit with shivers of pleasure. Born an English bastard, raised on the high seas, he's on a mission to capture a notorious pirate for vengeance. But while Violet's belief in her brother's innocence maddens him, her courage awes him . . . and her sensuality finally undoes him. Now the man who once lost everything and the girl who has everything to lose are bound by a passion that could either end in betrayal . . . or become everything they ever dreamed.

I am all out of order with these books. I first read #1 The Perils of Pleasure and then jumped forward to #5 What I Did For a Duke and now I just finished #4 I Kissed An Earl. I dislike doing that. I prefer to read books in order even if there is not a main story theme that carries over from novel to novel. There are just too many Redmonds and Everseas and I started to feel that I was mixing everyone up. I am going to bite the bullet and just buy them all because I love them that much. So my plan is to re-read my review from book #1 The Perils of Pleasure and then start with book #2 Like No Other Lover and so forth. 

Having said all that, I will admit that you probably could read I Kissed An Earl as a standalone book but I would not recommend it. There are a lot of character references to previous stories and I found myself caught between aching (from not knowing what happened in those stories) and then being confused with the amount of parents, siblings and opposing Eversea family members that were mentioned. 

Once again Julie Anne Long has captivated me with fabulously memorable characters. With each book I read, I feel the driving force behind my love of this Pennyroyal Green series is the magnetic allure that the protagonists have over me. Being an avid fan of the historical romance genre I am always delighted when an author has found a new story to be told with mesmerizing characters. 

The rising conflict between Violet and Flint had the pair stuck in a arduous circumstance. Over and over again Violet and Flint had to remind themselves that their situation was not going to end well for either of them. Violet was fiercely protective of her estranged brother, Lyon and Flint was determined to bring Lyon (AKA the pirate La Chat) to justice. Of course that particular brand of justice could result in a death by hanging which would devastate Violet and the entire Redmond family.  

To top off the entire conundrum, Flint was after vengeance for death of his Captain role model which Lyon caused. Just to add more resentment into the mix, Flint's entire future wealth was riding on this capture. Yep, it was not going to end well. 

I ended up adoring BOTH Flint and Violet so I could not choose sides and I celebrated every single time one got an advantage over one another. I was so torn. 

Their passion was a slow angsty build up. So much so that I thought the pair were going to eventually suffer from lust combustion. I thoroughly enjoyed reading how their relationship transpired. 

Teasers: men like servants or pets, encrypted puzzle note with breasts, sexy potato peeling lesson, descriptive actions for V's and curves 

What I Did For A Duke by Julie Anne Long

Duke of Moncrieff, Alex and Genevieve Eversea




What I Did For A Duke (Pennyroyal Green book 5)

by Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:

For years, he's been an object of fear, fascination .. . and fantasy. But of all the wicked rumors that shadow the formidable Alexander Moncrieffe, Duke of Falconbridge, the "ton" knows one thing for certain: only fools dare cross him. And when Ian Eversea does just that, Moncrieffe knows the perfect revenge: he'll seduce Ian's innocent sister, Genevieve--the only Eversea as yet untouched by scandal. First he'll capture her heart . . . and then he'll break it.

But everything about Genevieve is unexpected: the passion simmering beneath her cool control, the sharp wit tempered by gentleness . . . And though Genevieve has heard the whispers about the duke's dark past, and knows she trifles with him at her peril, one incendiary kiss tempts her deeper into a world of extraordinary sensuality. Until Genevieve is faced with a fateful choice . . . is there "anything" she won't do for a duke?

What I Did For A Duke is one of those books I wish I could rate higher than a 5. That's a really short list of mine that now includes What I Did For A Duke. I freaking loved this story.  I did jump from book 1 to book 5 and I did so seamlessly. There wasn't much mention about previous couples except for Colin & Madeline who starred in the very first book so I was completely comfortable skipping forward. I would recommend reading The Perils of Pleasure first though. Not only is it a fabulous book but it also provides a great background with the Eversea family. 

Now to put into words why I loved What I Did For A Duke...First and foremost for me it was the main characters, Alex and Genevieve. Their conversations and back and forth banter was outstanding as much as it was amusing. I caught myself smiling a lot as I got more and more wrapped up in their story. I couldn't wait to read what they would say next. 

To couple these great characters with the spot on writing was a spectacular combination. I just loved the descriptions, the emotions and how situations were explained. The words on my Kindle screen popped out and left me constantly thinking. Check out how the Duke explains to Genevieve what a proper kiss is like:

"A proper kiss, Miss Eversea, should turn you inside out. It should...touch places in you that you didn't know existed, set them ablaze, until your entire being is hungry and wild. It should...hold a moment, I want to explain this as clearly as possible..." He tipped his head back and paused to consider, as though he were envisioning this and wanted to relate every detail correctly.  "It should slice right down through your like a cutlass with a pleasure so devastating it's very nearly pain."

So yeah, I could quote and comment their conversations all day. 

Just like Colin Eversea from the first book, (The Perils of Pleasure) I just adored the Duke's personality. I loved his approach and take on all situations. I reveled in his humour; especially with how the members of the ton were afraid of him. I also chuckled how he did nothing to sway anyone's negative perceptions of him. In fact, he enjoyed feeding more into it. Another situation that was threaded throughout the book was how he handled Genevieve's brother, Ian. No spoilers from me on why he had to handle her brother but it was awesome. From the first chapter on I knew I was going to really like this story. 

Genevieve is another awesome heroine. Once again not only did I love the way she spoke but also how she handled the situations that were thrown at her. I couldn't wait to read where the story was going next. At first I wondered if Genevieve was going to be a bit of a simpleton in the story since she was presented as the very youngest of all her siblings as well as just having her heart broken at the very beginning of the story. I was sure there was going to be pages and pages of moaning, weeping and a "woe is me" attitude. Instead, I adored her. These two protagonists were just a sheer pleasure to read as they strove to one up each other in conversations. It was subtle but oh so obvious. Even now I am grinning. What I Did For A Duke is probably one of my favourite historical romance reads of this year. 

Teasers: bare-ass naked out the window, kitten sketches, Venus & Mars, hallway hunting for a Duke at midnight

The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long

Colin Eversea and Madeline Greenway's book



The Perils of Pleasure (Pennyroyal Green book 1)

by Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:

          His life is in her hands...

She's willing to be fearless for a price...but what if the cost is her heart?

A rescued rogue...
Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary

A captivating captor...
Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin's vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeline dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they'll face great danger—and a passion neither can resist.

The Perils of Pleasure was a really fun read.  I definitely feel encouraged to read on in the series. It is however such a shame that that the Kindle price is so darn expensive for this Pennyroyal Green series. That is the only reason I am not going straight to book 2. I did pick up What I Did For a Duke for a super deal on Amazon so I'm going to book 5 from this one. 

The best part of The Perils of Pleasure is the fun teasing sort of banter that Colin constantly delivers to Madeline. Colin has been down and out. He was accused of murder, sent to the gallows and was literally a minute from being hanged to his death, yet he is always joking and chipper. It is of course a defense mechanism but it totally works for him. It was so refreshing to read about an alpha type of hero that was not brooding the entire book. 

Madeline is a great hero. Yep you've got that right. A hero. She saves Colin's life a few times and she's super smart. She is as cool as a cucumber. I love how intelligent she is. She is much more serious than Colin but not in a stuffy stuck up way. I completely enjoyed how competent she was and how she reacted to Colin's teasing. He'd try so hard to get her to smile and then BAM! Madeline would have a funny comeback delivered with a smirk and a twinkle in her eyes. Awesome. 

The Perils of Pleasure has a bit of a mystery attached to the storyline. I did not connect the dots at all and I loved the direction the story took. 

What I did not like about The Perils of Pleasure was the amount of characters that was first introduced at the beginning of book. My head was spinning. I love a great prologue but I didn't care for this particular one. I was totally lost and after I read the book, I had to go back and re-read the prologue to understand. Once again, way too many characters and as it turned out, none of the prologue characters really had anything to do with the actual story. 
Jumping from the prologue right into the first chapter, I once again felt I was thrust into further character overload. I will admit to re-reading the first couple of chapters so I could get my bearings. 
However, once I got it, I was on my way to a great story. 

Teasers: the 5th solider - duck, quiet barn sex, family infidelity secrets, climbing a tree for love