Listen to the Moon by Rose Lerner

It's rare for me to find historical romance novels that are not about people in the gentry or royalty or marrying into the gentry or royalty. This book is about the servants who support them and I loved it!

Listen to the Moon is about Suki Grimes, a young maid-of-all-work who is content with her lot in life. She has no dreams or aspirations other than to avoid marriage. Her father had abandoned her and her mother when she was a child, even though her mother was in love with the man. Apparently love doesn't mean anything.

John Toogood (no puns please) was the valet to the main character in Rose Lerner's previous book, Sweet Disorder. When John finds himself out of a job, through no fault of his own, he is led to a new position: butler to the local vicar. The only catch is the job will only go to a married man. The job seems a good fit for John, but when he is offered a high paying position with his previous employers, he has to decide if he wants the fancy home with more money or the simple quiet life.

John and Suki are attracted to each other, but it's not love when they get married. It's financial need and lust. Love builds over time and is very believable. This story was a breath of fresh air. The characters in this book are poor, but happy. They appreciate the little things in life. We also get to learn about the different classes in the servant world.

Listen to the Moon was sweet, charming and fascinating. The love scenes were sexy and there were plenty of them.

I Joined RWA

After chatting with a several authors over the past few months I was told repeatedly to join RWA (Romance Writers of America). These published authors told me how much that group has helped them, from meeting other writers in the forums to joining local chapters to the online classes.

Well, a few weeks ago I decided to do it. After all, the annual fee is a business expense. I also joined the local chapter which happens to be very close to me. Yay!

Already I have made a few connections, taken a workshop and joined an online class! Sure there are lots of free resources online, but it's nice to have access to all of it in one place, meet other serious writers and learn from them. It's also nice to have them think of me as a colleague, rather than some random person on the internet.

I will let you know about my experiences as they happen.

An Indecent Invitation and A Brazen Bargain by Laura Trentham

An Indecent Invitation was my first book by author Laura Trentham.  It is the story of Lily Drummond, a young woman who is searching for her missing father. Her brother's best friend Gray Masterson has known Lily her entire life, but had been away for several years spying for The Crown with Lily's brother. When he returns to England he is stunned by the charming beauty Lily has become, but fights the attraction because he feels unworthy. He is untitled and Lily is the daughter of an Earl. Of course, Lily feels the opposite. Gray is her ideal man. She's been in love with him since they were children. When she asks Gray to let her help in the search for her missing father, he knows she will do it on her own, so he reluctantly agrees. 

I was worried I wouldn't enjoy this book because the series is called Spies and Lovers. I'm not much into spy stories. Fortunately the spying was not excessive and I found myself on the edge of my seat, worrying about Lily's undercover adventures and wondering who the villain was. There were some very satisfying love scenes, too. 

The theme of the brother's sister and best friend falling in love is my favorite!

Because I enjoyed the first book so much I had to read the sequel. The tables are turned in this story! A Brazen Bargain is about Lily's brother Rafe Drummond and her best friend Minerva Bellingham.

Rafe is recovering from a traumatic event that happened on his last spy mission. It has left him feeling unworthy of love. Minerva is an independent woman, planning never to marry. She has been running her younger brother's ducal estate until he comes of age. Unfortunately that has led to his spoiled nature. She does the work and he just goofs off.

After a drunken night of gambling leaves her brother in debt to Rafe, she goes to her friend's brother in the hopes of having the debt waved. No such luck. Rafe blames Minerva for his sister's inappropriate behavior in the first book. Secretly he longs for her. He tells Minerva he will forgive the debt if she and her brother come work for him for three months. He thinks she needs to be taken down a peg or two, not really knowing her character at all. Her brother is in need of some tough love and an education in estate management. It's a good education for all.

This exciting romantic story had some very HOT sex scenes that left me fanning myself.

I know there are at least two more books in the works and I eagerly await them!

My Fair Lily by Meara Platt

This was my first book by Meara Platt and I enjoyed it very much! My Fair Lily is a delightful story with lots of humor. 

Lily is charming, hopeful and very intelligent. She is a scientist currently studying animal behavior. She has plans to marry a fellow scientist so they can be partners in all things. That is until she meets Ewan, her neighbor's Scottish friend. She starts to question her feelings for both men. 

Ewan is a gruff and unrefined Scottish Laird. He has no plans to marry an Englishwoman, especially because it's what his estranged English grandfather desires. Ewen befriends Lily, but fights his feelings every step of the way.

Apparently there is a love curse on the street where they meet, so destiny is going to happen no matter what.

There are some love scenes, but they happen later in the book. I prefer a little more steam, and at least by the halfway point; however, that won't stop me from reading the others in the series.