Never a Lady by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Impossible!
Colin Oliver, Viscount Sutton, left his beloved Cornwall for London to find a bride-some comely, proper, wellborn lady to bear him an heir. Certainly not someone like Madame Alexandra Larchmont. Yes, she's the toast of the ton, and a rare beauty to be sure. But she's also a fortune-teller. And Colin has an excellent reason for keeping a sharp watch on this one . . .

The cards have warned Alexandra for years about a dark-haired stranger who would wreak havoc with her life, so when she sees him at a soiree, her first thought is to run. Unfortunately, she overhears a murder plot, and the only person she can turn to for help is a man she knows she should stay away from, a man who eyes her with an undisguised hunger.

But fate's strange turns are Alexandra's stock in trade. And if love is written in the cards, surely nothing is impossible!

I love Not Quite a Gentlemen so when I heard Colin (the older brother ) was going to have his story I was all excited. Until I started reading.

It wasn't as good as NQaG. Something was missing from this story. Maybe I had high expectations. Don't know. But I wasn't really into Colin and Alex as a couple. The story was just meh. My favorite parts were between Nathan and Colin. The two of them going back and forth. Colin stealing from Nathan's secret candy stash. Funny.

Grade: C-

Kiss the Cook by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Bubbly, off-beat beauty Melanie Gibson has her hands full. Not only is she caring for her beloved grandmother, she's also working desperately to secure a bank loan for her fledgling gourmet catering service. The last thing she has time for is romance—not even with Christopher Bishop, the sexy financial whiz who's been evaluating her business.

After eight years of toiling to put his younger siblings through school, Chris is ready to lead the life of a carefree bachelor. Then he meets Melanie, and finds himself thinking about forever. Melanie insists she's too smart to fall for a man with the devilish good looks of a practiced playboy, but Chris is determined to show her that their passion is too powerful to deny—and that love is the sweetest thing of all.

This is a really light, fast, fluffy read. It's a cute story, but Melanie bugged me.

You see, she's one of those girls who got hurt in the past and now thinks she doesn't need to fall in love. So after meeting Chris she keeps telling herself it's just an affair. Yeah right. She finds herself falling in love, but tries her hardest to talk herself out of it. When Chris makes one tiny mistake, she totally blows it out of porportion. Which really irked me. Like first chance she got, she dumped him.

Chris is an accountant and he's hot. He's sweet, funny and rides a motorcycle. That's one hot account. Melanie has a brand new catering business. She's sweet, an awesome cook and she has the coolest name: Melanie Gibson. You know, Mel Gibson.

Anyways they meet and Chris knows there is something between them. Melanie is in denial. They meet when she double parks in front of his car while making a delivery. Her cars dies, Chris offers to help her out.

I love when Chris says, they'll make beautiful love together. Not sex, love. Sigh..

Grade: B only cause Melanie got on my nerves.

The Bride Thief by Jacquie D'Alessandro

HAS ENGLANDÂ’S MOST INFAMOUS BRIDE THIEF FINALLY MET HIS MATCH?

At six-and-twenty, Samantha Briggeham knew her marital prospects were fading by the season and she was pleased by the thought. She had no intention of being betrothed. Especially against her will to a man she did not love. She had a plan...and didn't include being swept into a pair of powerful arms and spirited away by a masked rider. News of Sammie's heroic rescue from undesired wedlock turned her into the toast of the ton, wooed by suitors far and wide. But couldn't forget the swashbuckling brigand who abducted her. something about him intrigued her completely. Then she met Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley.

His exploits were legendary, his life filled with danger. He was the elusive Bride Thief, who had his own reasons for helping young women escape the unhappy fate of arranged marriages, and whose true identity was a scrupulously guarded secret. But from the moment he rescued Sammie only to discover she already managed to get herself un-betrothed Eric knew he couldn't lose her a second time. Marriage was out of the question. Which left only one option: A clandestine affair that might lead to scandal, social ruin, and the unmasking of a love-bested legend. . .

I couldn't get into the story. It had promise too. But about 200 pages into it, I was thinking, "I really don't care what happens." So I peeked at the end and put it down.

Sammie seems like a sweet girl. Not your average girl into dancing and gossip. She likes science and math. (Ok, who likes math???? I hated math when I was school)

Eric is man who isdeterminedd to help young women out of forced marriages. His sister would forced into a marriage and itdevastatedd her.

Meh.

Grade: F

Whirlwind Affair by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Can an unconventional liaison turn into the love match of the season?
After the scandalous duel that made her a widow, Alberta Brown was left destitute--and in possession of a cache of ill-gotten goods. Determined to right the wrongs of her thieving husband, she sailed to England to locate the owner of a gentleman’s ring bearing an intriguing coat of arms. But a series of mishaps on- board soon convinced Allie that she was enmeshed in a perilous game. Yet none was more dangerous--or irresistibly tempting--than the dashing stranger waiting on the dock.

The marriage-minded Lord Robert Jamison was searching for a woman who aroused that certain something. He never expected to find her in this uncommonly pretty, fiercely independent American he’d been asked to escort back to a splendid country estate. Allie was in grave danger--worse, she vowed never to marry again. Yet Lord Robert’s will was just as strong--and he planned to make this maddening creature his wife, even as passion drove them into each other’s arms...and a reckless liaison flamed into the season’s most indiscreet and irresistible affair of the heart.

Ok, I didn't like this book. The first Iook i haven't really cared from Jacquie D'Alessandro.

Now, I loved Robert. He was just so charming, fun and care free. However, he had some secrets. Some secrets he just wasn't ready to share. Allie, was been left a widow. Turns out her late husband has affairs, lied, cheated and blackmailed. She fell for her late husbands charms and now she has vowed to fall for another man's charms again.

She meets Robert and sense he is hiding something. She sees how friends, charming and handsome he is. Just like David. You'll hear phraseharse throughout the book. Just like David.
Finally Robert tells her, "So what, I'm a lying, cheating, blackmailing bastard?" Go Robert, put her in her place.

Allie just bugged me. I understand she was hurt and all that, but really. You knew deep down inside, Robert was a different man.

Grade: C

Whirlwind Wedding by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Austin Randolph Jamison, Ninth Duke of Bradford, met the uncanny beauty at the ball at Bradford Hall. And from that first moment, he was stunned. How could this unsophisticated female, who climbed trees in a ball gown to rescue a kitten, know secrets that could ruin his family and speak of danger that threatened them all? Who was she, this American bluestocking who knew too much, whose innocence shone in her eyes even as her full lips tempted sin? Suddenly the duke knew he could not afford to let her go.

Some called it a gift. To Elizabeth Matthews, however, her visions were a responsibility that bound her to protect others from danger, no matter that the gossipmongers whispered she was chasing the duke to the altar. She vowed to use her powers to protect Austin at any cost, reckless of the passions that drove her into his arms, the need that made her his bride, never expecting her marriage to turn into a love match that would become the ton's most delicious scandal.

I really liked this book except one part kind of bugged me. Which I'll get to later.

I really love how Austin and Elizabeth met: Her falling from a bush to save a kitten. Her just sprawled there. I thought it was cute. I also love the scene when she falls from the horse (she was riding side saddle and was slipping off the horse. She in the mud and slid down the incline) and lands in front of Austin. She throws a dirt clod at him just to make a point and the mud hits him. I would totally do this. Accidently hit a guy with mud.

Elizabeth and Austin are forced to marry. She had a vision of Austin being thrown from his horse, which comes true. She find him laying on the road and brings him to safety. She doesn't want to leave him, so they spend the night together. Just sleeping. But of course the wrong people catch them, a special license is obtained and they are married.

Austin loves Elizabeth is different from other women. Loves she wouldn't care if she was a duchess, is more excited about buying books than buying dressed and jewels.

Now... Elizabeth has another vision which frightens her. She tells Austin and to protect him tells him they must never have children and divorce. She lies telling him she just married him for his money. Ok, this kind of bugged me, but I understand why she did it. What really bothered me was Austin automatically believe her. At this point he's already told her he loves her so I would think he would not believe her, say she's lying. But nope, he believes her. That just bugged me.

Other than that one thing, I really liked this book and will have to add it my growing collection.

Grade: A

Not Quite A Gentleman by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Three years ago, Lady Victoria Wexhall was humiliated when Nathan Oliver waltzed brazenly out of her life after favoring her with one glorious kiss ... her very first!
Now, when her father insists she pay a visit to Nathan's family estate in Cornwall, the pampered Society beauty devises a plan to drive the heartless rake mad with desire, then drop him cold. Because the man is a cad -- and he will rue the day he trifled with her affections!

But Victoria's plan isn't the only plot that's afoot. Nathan's sworn duty to the Crown has immersed him in a perilous intrigue, and he is certain this infuriatingly tempting lady is somehow involved. Using his winning charm and sensuous allure, Nathan intends to discover the lady's secrets.

And the dashing rogue is bound and determined to prove that, while not quite a gentleman, he is every bit a lover!

Another reread. My friend loaned me this book and I loved it so much I had to buy it.

There are a few cliches:
The stolen kiss between Victoria and Nathan
Nathan's disappearance because turns out he was a spy
Victoria wanting revenge

But I still loved this book. It's not exactly the revenge plot I thought it was going to be.

Nathan and Victoria end up working together to find a missing bag of jewels. While looking for the jewels, the two get to know each other. Nathan finds himself falling in love her, but knows she wants better than marrying a doctor and living in the country. Victoria, who has always known that she had to marry well, starts second guessing her future.

I loved how Nathan told Victoria since he's a second son, he has no reason other than love to marry. He explains he's happy he's not a first son cause he's free to do what he wants. Which surprise's Victoria thinking all men wanted to be titled.

But I really love how Nathan gave her his copy of fairy tales. The one he said he'd never give up cause it was the last thing his mother gave him before she dies. *sniff*

Love this book.

This is part of a series:

Who Will Take This Man?
Love and the Single Heiress
Grade: A