Sunday, August 30, 2015

The Rogue You Know - Review


The Rogue You Know 

by Shana Galen
Book 2 of the 
Covent Garden Cubs series



Susanna & Gideon's story is wonderful. There is plenty of suspense and action. And the two of them do make a wonderful couple. 

If there can only be one thing I like about Shana Galen's writing, it is the variety. Some of her stories are dark, deep with intense emotion. But others are easier and more fun. 

He hadn't met a woman yet whose clothes didn't practically fall off when he gave her The Look. Gideon glanced down then back up, giving her the most potent form of The Look he could muster.
She glared at him. "Do not touch me," she said
Gideon choked on his surprise. Why wasn't she melting? He must have done it wrong. He tried it again.

"What is wrong with your face?" she asked. "Your mouth looks odd."

Susanna is not a wimpy girl. She is smart. She even finds out
that she can be rather fearless. 
Gideon has lived a hard life. He has never met anyone like Susanna. 
He is ready to begin a new life for himself. 
And by a crazy coincidence, Susanna is also ready to begin a new life for herself. 
The story keeps you involved and smiling. I could not wait to see what happens next. 
One surprise after another. 
And fireworks. Don't forget the fireworks.
I really enjoyed this story. The way they talk to each other. They are both determined in their plans. Each of them feeling as if their life will be over if they don't complete their goal. And then, they each realize they have fallen for the other.
The Rogue You Know is a lovely, romantic, funny, rocking story. 
I highly recommend it to all the romantics looking for a good read.
It's another 5 star story from Shana Galen.

I got this copy from Netgalley and I have preordered a copy for myself. 

Review by Lisa Hutson


Wednesday, August 12, 2015

The Great Estate Spotlight

Title: The Great Estate
Author: Sherri Browning
Series: Thornbrook Park, #3
Pubdate: August 4th, 2015
ISBN: 9781402286858

Pulled apart by past mistakes. Driven by a passion neither could deny.

Sophia Thorne was young and inexperienced when she married the dashing Earl of Averford…and through dark and troubled times, their relationship nearly came to an end. Now she’s determined to transform herself into the fiery, ardent lover she always wanted to be, giving them a second chance at love… before they’re lost to each other forever.

It took nearly losing Sophia for Gabriel to realize he had allowed his love for his great estate to distract him from his beautiful wife. But that time is over. Despite all the obstacles standing in their way, Gabriel vows to teach Sophia what it is to truly love…and to be loved by a husband devoted heart and soul to her every desire.

Sherri Browning writes historical and contemporary romance fiction, sometimes with a
paranormal twist. She is the author of critically acclaimed classic mash-ups Jane Slayre and Grave Expectations. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Sherri has lived in western Massachusetts and Greater Detroit Michigan, but is now settled with her family in Simsbury, Connecticut. Find her online at www.sherribrowningerwin.com.

An Excerpt:
Sophia, Countess of Averford, ended up exactly as she always suspected she would: completely alone. She glanced up at her enormous portrait, hanging larger than life over the drawing room’s marble fireplace, and sighed.
“We’ve done it now, darling girl,” she said, looking into her own eyes fixed in an imperious stare. “We’ve really done it.”
What she had done was to give in to a kiss. No more than that. One passionate, toe-curling kiss. With a man who was not her husband. Didn’t she deserve at least one kiss? Her husband hadn’t kissed her in the longest time. When the Earl of Ralston had declared himself impossibly, irretrievably in love with her and had taken her in his arms, how was she to have resisted him?
Unfortunately, Gabriel, her husband, had walked in at the precise moment when she’d stopped pushing Ralston away and had pulled him to her instead. That one second of pull was all she’d needed, what she’d craved. In the moment, it didn’t matter who’d taken command of her senses. But afterwards? Looking up over Ralston’s shoulder and straight into the direct gaze of her husband, in time to see his bright eyes cloud over with icy darkness, she knew that she had broken something in Gabriel, perhaps irreparably. He didn’t storm, rail, or threaten murder, as she’d always suspected he would in such circumstances. He’d simply dropped his arms and walked away before she could regain her bearings to run after him.
They’d never spoken of it. They barely spoke at all. Her marriage fell to shambles and, after months of few words and mounting hostility between them, Gabriel had packed his things and had joined his mother in Italy, leaving Sophia alone at Thornbrook Park. To add insult to injury, he hadn’t entrusted her with command of his beloved estate. He probably didn’t believe her capable of organizing much beyond her own closet, and that only with the assistance of her reliable lady’s maid. Gabriel’s land agent, Cornelius Kenner, reported to Gabriel by letter once a week, and then executed all of Gabriel’s orders as they came in by telegraph. Or so Gabriel had been led to believe.
In her husband’s absence, Sophia had taken charge. Why shouldn’t she? Thornbrook Park was her home, too, and Cornelius Kenner was dreadfully not up to the task.



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Review | The Great Estate by Sherri Browning

Sherri Browning's The Great Estate is an engaging second chance at love story.  It's a fabulous story of a married couple who must decide if they want to salvage their marriage or live apart.

Sophia, the Countess of Averford , has learned that her husband has returned home from an extended visit to Italy. Gabriel had left England and his beloved estate Thornbrook Park after he saw another man kissing his wife.  Gabriel realizes that he had been indifferent towards his wife and he returns home to court his Sophia and make her understand that he loves her. Sophie has been very busy running the estate in Gabriel's absence. She has hired a new steward, encouraged the tenants to sell their goods to local businesses and has rented out the estate's dower house to wealthy American families. All of these changes have resulted in profits for the estate.




"I understand you've become quite possessive of the place." She drew back from him. "Where did you hear such a thing?"

"From Kenner.  And Mr. Grant.  I know all about what you've been up to while I've been gone."

"All? They gave me up so easily?" Her most loyal servants, or so she'd thought.

"With their jobs on the line? Of course they did. They told me everything. I'm impressed, really. I never thought you had it in you, Sophia."

"You threatened them?" No, he didn't think she had it in her, did he?

And that was at the heart of their problems, not easily solved with his return after all. 

"Never? You never believed me capable of running your precious estate? 
Vapid, beautiful Sophia. She looks good on my arm, but I wouldn't trust her to function without guidance."



I am a huge fan of Downton Abbey and adore novels which take place in the early 20th century.  Sherri Browning's novel The Great Estate takes place during  King Edward VII's reign. The author's elegant prose perfectly conveys the rich historical and political details of the time. The novel presents the changes which began to take place during this time of peace and prosperity. There were significant shifts in political power as both laborers and women became interested in politics and many of the wealthy aristocrats had to sell their family estates because they were not able to maintain them. 

The character of Sophia resonated with me. I admired the novel's determined heroine and her pragmatic approach to running Thornbrook Park. She hired an American to advise her on estate matters and listened to his thoughts and ideas. Sophia visited the tenants, worked with them side-by -side and implemented changes which benefited both the tenants and Thornbrook Park. Sophia has transformed herself as well as Thornbrook Park during her husband's absence. Wilł Gabriel support Sophia's changes or dismiss them?

Gabriel, Lord Averford is determined to win Sophia's love. Lord Averford realizes that he and Sophia didn't know each other well before they married. He decides to court his countess to win her affections. Kudos to the author for writing such a great hero who understood that he needed to change to make his marriage whole again.  I loved the scene where Gabriel dressed in a minstrel's costume plays the guitar and serenades Sophia with an Italian love song. In this scene, the reader recognizes that Gabriel and Sophia love each other,  but the couple has a difficult time expressing their feelings. Gabriel accompanies Sophia when a rainstorm causes  flooding on a tenants property. He is amazed that she pitches in and works with him and the estate workers. 

Each of the secondary characters was well written and played a pivotal role in the storyline. Loved Aunt Agatha and Teresa, the Dowager Countess of Averford. These two woman were very different and their differences in opinion, personality and dress added both humor and insight to the drama. Gabriel and Sophia share a dilemma common to many married couples who experience loss. Gabriel turned away from his wife and  devoted himself to Thornbrook Park and politics while Sophia withdrew and spent time with her family.  I read the last third of the book in one sitting. I was invested in the novel and I loved the ending. The author skillfully sets the stage for a reunion for this couple...but will they recognize their feelings and grab a second chance at love?

The Great Estate is the third installment in the author's Thornbrook Park series and the first book by Sherry Browning that I have read. I  enjoyed this book so much that I plan to buy the first two books. 

Reviewed by Susan Gorman
ARC provided by Sourcebooks.


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