A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

Dougless Montgomery and Nichols Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck






A Knight in Shining Armor

By Jude Deveraux

Book Blurb:
Dougless Montgomery couldn't believe it. She had tried to be the very essence of the modern American woman -- competent yet sexy, financially independent yet ready to love and be loved. She had planned this holiday tour with special care, wanting everything to be perfect for Robert, the man she hoped one day to marry. Yet here she was, after a stupid quarrel, abandoned in a church in the midst of rural England. Abandoned, with no luggage, no money, no credit cards, while Robert drove off without so much as a backward glance. 

As Dougless lay upon a cold tombstone, crying in fury and frustration, she longed for a knight in shining armor to save her from this abysmal mess. Suddenly, as if in answer to her prayers, the most extraordinary man stood before her.... He was Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck, who accodring to his tombstone had died in 1564. Tall, broad-shouldered, attired in gleaming silver and gold, he was magnificent. He stood in the dim light of the church, thunderstruck, drinking her in: her strange costume, the uncased hair that flowed to her shoulders, her long, lovely, BARE legs. He could scarce keep his wits about him, but of one thing he was certain -- she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Drawn to his side by a bond so sudden and compelling it overshadowed reason, Dougless knew that Nicholas was nothing less than a miracle: a man who would not seek to change her, who found her perfect, fascinating, just as she was. Yet she could not imagine how strong were the chains that tied them to the past... or the grand adventure that lay before them.…

Okay are you ready for this statement? A Knight in Shining Armor is my very first Jude Deveraux book. Like, ever. 


A Knight in Shining Armor has been on my TBR list for years. Years and years I'm telling you. I was finally motivated to read it because I really wanted to read an exceptional historical romance and something that was a "sure thing" as a great read. I've often heard that A Knight in Shining Armor is some people's all time favourite historical romance so I pretty much figured that with an exclusive label like that, I certainly would be bound to like it. 

And I did. I loved it. I admit to being a little iffy at the beginning because Dougless certainly seemed as close to a doormat as possible but she definitely redeems herself throughout the book.  

A Knight in Shining Armor also wasn't what I had expected. Half the book takes place in modern times (in this case the 1980's) and the other half of the book takes place in the 1560's. It was a really good plot and it was a page turner for me. There wasn't any cliffhangers or anything like that and I really liked that is was not as predictable as some romance novels can be. I liked that. I liked that the story didn't allow their romance to come easy and smooth. There were a lot of bumps along the way and much conflict to overcome. I liked that a lot too. 

It has been a few days since I finished and I still find myself thinking about the characters and the ending. I think that is a pretty good sign of how much I enjoyed reading it. 

Teasers: Time travel, Arabella's table, changing history, the true meaning of soul mates

The Gift by Julie Garwood

Nathan, Marquess of St. James and Lady Sara Winchester's book




The Gift (Crown's Spies book 3)

By Julie Garwood

Book Blurb:
Child bride Sara Winchester had grown into a winsome beauty, joyfully anticipating the day when her husband Nathan, Marquess of St. James, would return to claim her heart. Charmingly innocent, she dismissed the ancient feud that divided their families, and was totally unaware of his past exploits as the notorious pirate, Pagan. And Nathan was beguiled by Sara's sweet, defiant ways. But her love would soon be tested as a vile conspiracy tries to tear them apart. 

I was most ecstatic the other day when I realized that there were two Julie Garwood historical romances out there that I had not yet read. Even more exciting was that I already owned them and they were sitting there on my shelf just waiting for me. I had seen them for so long I just assumed that I had read them. I love Julie Garwood's historical romances so I felt like I won the lottery. 

The Gift is book 3 in the Crown Spies series. You can easily read The Gift as a stand alone. There is very little character carry over. Regardless of the previous characters involvement with past books, you will not be lost if you read The Gift out of order. 

One of the magical components of a Julie Garwood historical romance is that she often has the bride and groom married near the beginning of the book. The marriage that took place in The Gift occurred right in the prologue and it was one of the earliest aged marriages ever. Nathan was only fourteen years old and Sara was a darling child of four. Of course there was no marital consummation because this forced marriage contract started before Sara could even print. The King, suffering from beginnings of dementia, was tired of the feuding families and arranged this mockery of a marriage. He set up the contract details, married off these youngsters and left the feuding families to deal with the consequences. Ultimately each child was returned to their respective families and for years each family plotted how to get out of the contract. 

Once the reader is done with the ceremony in the prologue, the story's first chapter starts 14 yrs later. 

Garwood's heroines are my most favourite in the historical genre. They are witty, adorable and they are so innocent that they could be viewed to be on verge of being a bit daft. This innocence is exactly the case with Lady Sara. She is a dreamer, an idealist and so darn likable that you have to forgive her constant mishaps. She believes that since she is married to a ship's captain that the men are her "staff". She deducts that since a captain is the master of a ship she equated that station to that of a Lord of a mansion. She has a heart of gold but unknowingly is oblivious to her surroundings. I dare you not to like her. 

Nathan is both patient and yet an overbearing yeller. He scowls and is fiercely protective of her. After their forced marriage as children, neither Nathan or Sara meet again until she is 18 years old. He has no idea what she looks like or what her personality is. All he wants is get married to honour the contract and collect on his due. 

I really enjoyed reading about the pair getting to know each other and ultimately fall in love. Sara made me giggle with her antics and Nathan was a great hero for her to fall in love with. I am rating 3.5 because although the story was cute, it did fall a little bit short of what I come to expect from a Julie Garwood historical. So I am rating The Gift against other Garwood stories. 

Teasers: saving her aunt, away on the ship, dangerous soup, paradise island

June's Vintage Romance Review - Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts

It is with great pleasure that I write a vintage romance review for Nora Roberts's Honest Illusions. 

Roxanne Nouvelle & Luke Callahan's story





Honest Illusions

By Nora Roberts

Book Blurb:
The daughter of a world-renowned magician, Roxy Nouvelle has inherited her father’s talents—and his penchant for jewel thievery. Into this colorful world comes Luke Callahan, an escape artist who captures her heart—and keeps secrets that could shatter all her illusions…

Originally published 1992

I picked up this beat up old paperback at a used book store about a year ago. It is certainly a well used loved copy but my friends kept encouraging me to read Nora's earlier stuff. I have to say, Honest Illusions was absolutely fantastic. It was a lengthy paperback at 499 pages and worth every last word. 

Honest Illusions spans over the years of Roxy and Luke's life. My favourite type of romances are always when the protagonist's have a deep-seated history and Roxy and Luke's history starts right from childhood. I was memorized with the story and there was no tearing me away from the magic of Honest Illusions. This story is timeless and can be easily read fresh today as if it was newly published. Even with the mention of VCR tapes, it fits with the time period when it was wrote. That is always one of my goals of Another Look Book Reviews; to take another look at previously published stories. 

Because Honest Illusions takes the reader on a journey with the entire Nouvelle family, it is one of those books that when it's over you feel sad that that you aren't going to visit with them anymore. That's me right now. I'm going through a bit of a withdrawal. Honest Illusions isn't just about Roxy and Luke's life; Roxy's father and step-mom (Max and Lily) are a centralized core to the story. I came to love their family and admire their love for one another. 

Roxy's magician father Max was a special man and his beautiful wife, Lily were role models and it was refreshing to read about such parental love and respect. Now it is amusing that I am using words like "role models" and "respect" to describe Max when he is an international jewel thief and Lily completely supported him. It was interesting that Max used the guise of being a talented international and highly renowned magician to cover his double life. When you think about it, David Copperfield or Chris Angel would be spectacular criminals. What a genius story line Nora Roberts created. 

Max saved a young Luke's life by practically adopting him when he was a lowly twelve year old pick pocket and Lily falls instantly in love with him as her maternal instincts kick in. Of course Roxy had different ideas and the pair start their relationship like any other would be brother and sister by bickering and pestering each other. However throughout their young life and their awkward teenage years, they're fiercely protective of each other and through eventual maturity recognize that their feelings aren't exactly normal sibling love. 

There is so much story in Honest Illusions. You have almost a lifetime with Max, Lily, Roxy and Luke. You experience adrenaline rushes with the burglaries, you are in awe of the spectacular magical shows (although no secrets are revealed) and more often than not you want to knock Roxy and Luke's heads together when they fight their feelings toward one another. That is until you finally feel all warm and fuzzy when they once and for all succumb to their feelings.  

Oh and there is anger and lots of it when the sociopathic villain of the story causes pain and despair to the Nouvelles. I wanted to reach into the book and harm Sam Wyatt myself. I fell so in love with this family that I found myself being protective of them. 

The most upsetting emotion I experienced with Honest Illusion was the heavy sadness when the horrid alzheimer's disease is draped over the Nouvelles. Such heartache. It is such a wicked disease. The lump in my throat has been there for days and I'm sure it will be for awhile. 

What an adventure. I am glad I decided to give an old tired paperback a try. 

Teasers: free lesson, carnival life, the love a true father and mother, blackmail, framing, redemption 

Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens

Honoria Anstruther-Wetherby and Sylvester "Devil" Cynster, the Duke of St. Ives' book



Devil's Bride (Cynster book 1)

By Stephanie Laurens

Book Blurb:To have...When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire ton by offering his hand in marriage. No one dreamed this scandalous rake would ever take a bride. And as society mamas swooned at the loss of England's most eligible bachelor, Devil's infamous Cynster cousins began to place wagers on the wedding date.

...and to hold.But Honoria wasn't about to bend society's demands and marry a man just because they'd been found together virtually unchaperoned. No, she craved adventure, and while solving the murder of a young Cynster cousin fit the bill for a while, she decided that once the crime was solved she'd go off to see the world. But the scalding heat of her unsated desire for Devil soon had Honoria craving a very different sort of excitement. Could her passion for Devil cause her to embrace the enchanting peril of a lifelong adventure of the heart?

About a year ago I was lucky enough to have won a trilogy of the Cynster sisters. I enjoyed those books and I knew that the trilogy was a spin off of the original Cynster series by Stephanie Laurens. I checked out the series and since this first book, Devil's Bride was originally published in 1998 and the series was still going strong, I just knew I had to read the book that started it all. 

The Kindle copy of Devil's Bride is really expensive at $11.22 so when Amazon had a super deal of only $2.22 I snatched it up. I'm glad I did because it is now back up to $11.22. I guess that just goes to show you, even though it is a vintage romance, they can still be pricey. 

I really enjoyed Devil's Bride although in many places it really dragged on. I kind of contradict myself here because on one hand I am glad that the murder mystery that surrounded Devil's cousin, Tolly didn't have the protagonists easily making the murderous connection and then on the other hand, it sure took them a long time to make the connection.  The reader easily figures out who the murder was and I was really hoping for a surprise where Stephanie Laurens was taking the reader down a path and then surprise us at the end. Unfortunately that was not the case and I was a bit disappointed. 

As much as I adored Devil and Honoria together, I couldn't quite figure out why Devil wanted to marry her so badly from the beginning. He pursues her seductively and eventually the stubborn Honoria gives in. There were times I thought he was wearing her down but ultimately I do believe it was her choice to marry him. 

I felt that there weren't many intimate scenes but the private moments that Devil and Honoria experienced did have a lot of heat. I was excited for them when they finally gave into their desires and I really felt that they were meant to be. 

One thing I really liked about Devil's Bride is that the author Stephanie Laurens included actual locations and street names. I love when an author includes real locations set in with fictional characters. So many times I have read historicals with such vague locations that it was great to make a note of the streets and look on a map. I loved that. 

Devil and Honoria make a great couple and definitely have the staying power and presence to be the head of the entire Cynster family. A fabulous book to start it all.  

Teasers: wood cutter's cottage, cake-eating demon horse, Grosvenor Square,  saved by a flask