THE RUTHLESS ITALIAN'S INEXPERIENCED WIFE by Christina Hollis

b

The Ruthless Italian's

Inexperienced Wife

by

Christina Hollis

Harlequin Presents

Extra #63

July 2009

The story isn't bad, but the back cover is misleading. The blurb's headline proclaims "Virgin nanny".

She is not a virgin.

Lady Mischief would not have a problem with this if the cover hadn't misled her. Hey, Harlequin! Let's have a little truth in advertising.

Yours forever between the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

BOUGHT FOR MARRIAGE by Margaret Mayo

Bought For Marriage

by

Margaret Mayo

Harlequin Presents

Extra #64

July 2009

Dione Keristari's father is a real piece of work. He is a bully who stole her away from her mother and controlled her life. He has run his business into the ground and now he is in the hospital with heart problems (who knew he had a heart?) and is insisting Dione approach a business enemy for the money he needs to save his business.

Theo Tsardikos cannot stand Bully Keristari, but he is turned on by the three minutes he spends in Dione's company. He tells her, you marry me and you can have the money for your father.

She agrees but says it will be on her terms. She is not that young. She is an educated woman. Nobody could force her to marry for this money. Her father was not deserving of this kind of sacrifice. This works for "good fathers" or when the heroines are young and extremely innocent. It did not work as a plot devise for this character.

Lady Mischief did not like any character in this book. She is wishing she had spent the money on Ben & Jerry instead.

Yours forever between the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

THE GREEK TYCOON'S BLACKMAILED MISTRESS by Lynne Graham

The Greek Tycoon's

Blackmailed Mistress

by

Lynne Graham

Harlequin Presents

#2836

July 2009

Seven years ago Aristandros Xenakis was engaged to Ella for about five minutes. Just long enough to announce the glad tidings to his entire family and friends and for her to find out he expected her to give up her medical training to become a wife and mother.

Now Aristandros is the sole guardian of the child Ella wants. He makes Ella sign a devil's pact with him in order for her to be able to be near the child. Is it for revenge? Or does he have deeper reasons?

If you like a take-charge-anything-goes-alpha-hero, and Lady Mischief does (in books) Aristandros is a good example, until the end.

The story is solid, but the end comes too quick. In the end he caves and gives her everything she wants and she gives him a quarter inch.

But after saying that, both the characters are likable. The book is worth the money and the time it takes to read it.

Yours forever behind the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

WITH SEDUCTION IN MIND by Laura Lee Guhrke

WITH SEDUCTION IN MIND
by
Laura Lee Guhrke

Avon
Historical Romance
Paperback
September 2009

Daisy Merrick's great ambition in life is to be a writer. Unfortunately she must eat and have a roof over her head while she is waiting to be published. Even more unfortunately she keeps getting sacked from her jobs.

One day she finds the courage to visit a publisher and ask him if he will print her work. He says her work is not ready yet, but he has an author who is no longer producing. He assigns Daisy to work as the great Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore's editor.

Little does Daisy know that the Earl is recovering from a ten year cocaine habit that had almost killed him and now has a case of writers block that is killing him or likely to drive him back to the drug.

Ms. Guhrke writes about adult characters, in adult settings, facing adult problems. This is her special niche that she has carved out for herself in the historical market. Others may attempt to transpose modern problems into an historical setting, but no one can do it as well as Laura Lee.

This book easily rates:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

THE DARK HIGHLANDER by Karen Marie Moning

THE DARK HIGHLANDER

by
Karen Marie Moning

Audio Book
narrated by
Phil Gigante
9 CDs
11 hours

The Dark Highlander is the story of Dageus MacKeltar, 16th century druid and twin brother of Drustan MacKeltar.

In Drustan's book, The Kiss of the Highlander, Dageus used his druid powers for personal gain when he tried to save his brother's life. This gave the spirits of the evil thirteen ancient druids an opportunity to invade Dageus's body.

Dageus in his travels through time(in The Dark Highlander) in search of a way to rid himself of the evil ones before he is totally evil himself. He finds antiquities curator Chloe Zanders in modern day New York where first he holds her prisoner then he enlists her help.

The story is wonderful. Mr. Gigante handles Chloe's voice very well, Gwen/David Spade makes a reapperance in this book and is still good for a laugh.

Forever yours between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief