Pearl's World of Romance - Reviews with a Passion: Legend of the Four Soldiers Series

Showing posts with label Legend of the Four Soldiers Series. Show all posts

June 4, 2009

To Beguile a Beast - Elizabeth Hoyt

10:14 PM |

Jacket Copy:
CAN A WOUNDED BEAST . . .
Reclusive Sir Alistair Munroe has hidden in his castle ever since returning from the Colonies, scarred inside and out. But when a mysterious beauty arrives at his door, the passions he's kept suppressed for years begin to awaken.

TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST . . .
Running from past mistakes has taken legendary beauty Helen Fitzwilliam from the luxury of the ton to a crumbling Scottish castle . . . and a job as a housekeeper. Yet Helen is determined to start a new life and she won't let dust-or a beast of a man-scare her away.

TO TAME HIS MOST SECRET DESIRES?
Beneath Helen's beautiful façade, Alistair finds a courageous and sensual woman. A woman who doesn't back away from his surliness-or his scars. But just as he begins to believe in true love, Helen's secret past threatens to tear them apart. Now both Beast and Beauty must fight for the one thing neither believed they could ever find--a happy ever after.

On the run from her former protector and the father of her illegitimate children, Abigail and Jami, Helen Fitzwilliam (born Carter) changes her name to Halifax and takes on a housekeeper's job on a remote Scottish castle, owned by Alistair Munroe, who was involved in the battle of Spinner's Falls as a civilian, a scholar accompanying the regiment n order to study flora and fauna. He was captured, tortured and maimed and has been living as a recluse in his castle, writing his books and minding his own business.
Then a beautiful woman appears on his doorstep with two children, claiming she is his new housekeeper. Unable to turn her away during a rainstorm he decides to let them stay the night, but one night becomes more and before he knows it, he truly has a housekeeper, one who penetrates his dark and desolate castle and life and whom he finds hard to resist. But danger is in her and her children's wake...

Helen is the former mistress of the Duke of Lister, a powerful and rich man who lured her in his clutches when she was just a young girl and now refuses to let her and her children go, even though he has discarded her and has taken on a new mistress. But he is the kind of cruel man who goes by the rule: If he can't have her, no one can and he'll even use his own children to get what he wants. Helen is determined, tenacious and impulsive. She is also caring and compassionate. She tries to carry her roles as mistress, mother, housekeeper and lover as best she can and her children's needs and safety always come first.

Alistair is a true scholar/scientist. A scholar who can, stereotypically, totally lose himself in his work. He is rude, stubborn, sarcastic and surly. He is as dark, cold and desolate as his castle is, but beneath his self-imposed detachment there' s a lonely, appreciative and sensitive man. The incident at Spinner's Falls left him scarred, both mentally and physically. Still somewhere deep down there's a man with a wicked sense of humor, which was nicely displayed in the sibling bickering between him and his sister Sophie.

Another character worth mentioning is Abigail, Helen's nine year-old daughter. She has a few own POVs in the book, which I found a joy to read, but at the same time they were heartbreaking. Abigail is a girl who is different than other girls of her age. She isn't playful or bubbly. She is too serious and troubled when she should be a carefree child with no troubles on her mind. She is an adorable child who is wise beyond her years and the scenes where the focus was on her were surprising, refreshing and utterly endearing. They gave the book something unique.

Elizabeth Hoyt never fails to please me with her books. TO BEGUILE A BEAST is yet another one that was bang on target. The "beauty and the beast" theme is used in a charming and original way and involving children and their well-being was a stroke of genius that really hit the mark with me. The direct and honest writing style, the raw sensuality and the Hoyt-trademark of imperfect and realistic characters are the elements I gladly welcomed once again in this book. I've heard and said before that Hoyt's writing is something you take to immediately or not at all. For me it is full and deep embracement all the way.

For me this book had two distinguishing parts. The first is the part where Helen, Alistair and the children get to know and accept each other with all the problems that go with it. They carefully go about finding their way around each other and explore their different individual blossoming relationships. Then something happens in the plot and the vibe of quiet exploration changes to one with a sense of danger and urgency that is quite intense.

The plot of the Spinner's Falls traitor is pursued the least in this installment compared to the first two books in the series. More information about the traitor is gradually released and I suspect the great revelation will come in the last book: TO DESIRE A DEVIL. These suspicions grew immensely after reading the preview of TO DESIRE A DEVIL and I am really looking forward to the unraveling of the mystery in that final (at least I think it's the final book). I'm sure Elizabeth Hoyt is saving the best for last, lulling us to sleep with this installment, only to blast us with a tremendous grand finale. This book was mainly to tell the story of Alistair and Helen and prepare us for things to come.

When I read Elizabeth Hoyt’s work I am oblivious to the world, enthralling as I find it, I emerge in a world of emotions, sensuality and characters that touch me deeply. And it's never too heavy because there are always sweet, funny moments to lighten up things when they threaten to tip the scale to the dramatic side. The ending of this book really struck a chord with me. All the pieces of the story of Helen, Alistair and the children came together in an emotional and utterly satisfying culmination. Elizabeth Hoyt blindsided me with a wonderful ending that included a most captivating proposal that was absolutely beautiful in its sincerity and simplicity.

Quotes:
"I said if I ever courted you, I'd bring you wildflowers. Well, I'm courting you now, Helen Carter. I'm a scarred and lonely man, and my castle is a mess, but I hope someday that you'll consent to be my wife despite all that, because I love you with all my poor battered heart."

Men talked of an afterlife filled with heavenly bliss, but this was the only bliss he wanted, in this life or the next: to feel Helen's bare skin beneath his own. (...) Oh, God, if ever there was a chance of paradise for him, he'd relinquish it, and gladly, to stay right here in Helen's arms.

Her heart slipped its traces and went racing away, beyond her grasp, beyond her control. Entirely free and racing towards this complex, vexing, and utterly fascinating man.

Labels: Elizabeth Hoyt, Grand Central Publishing, great reads, Historical Romance, Legend of the Four Soldiers Series, reviews | 2 comments |

December 21, 2008

To Seduce a Sinner - Elizabeth Hoyt

4:44 PM |

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Back Cover:
THE ONE THING HE CANNOT REVEAL 
For years, Melisande Fleming has loved Lord Vale from afar . . . watching him seduce a succession of lovers, and once, catching a glimpse of heartbreaking depths beneath his roguish veneer. When he’s jilted on his wedding day, she boldly offers to be his.

TO THE ONE WOMAN HE MOST DESIRES 
Vale gladly weds Melisande, if only to produce an heir. But he’s pleasantly surprised: A shy and proper Lady by day, she’s a wanton at night, giving him her body—though not her heart.

IS HIS DEEPEST NEED . . .  
Determined to learn her secrets, this sinner starts to woo his seductive new wife—while hiding the nightmares from his soldiering days in the Colonies that still haunt him. Yet when a deadly betrayal from the past threatens to tear them apart, Lord Vale must bare his soul to the woman he married...or risk losing her forever.

When his bride-to-be leaves the Viscount Vale --Jasper Renshaw-- at the altar, Melisande Fleming steps in and offers to marry him instead. While Jasper thinks Melisande does this out of desperation of being left on the shelf, Melisande is motivated by a secret love she's felt for Jasper for many years and she decides to seize her chance. While in the background the search for the traitor of Spinner's Falls continues and Jasper has to deal with the trauma after the massacre in the Colonies, Melisande fights to never let Jasper know how much she loves him. Her attempt to keep her feelings hidden from Jasper fails and Jasper soon discovers how much more there is to Melisande, than just her accommodating nature. In the course of their marriage Jasper's feelings for Melisande grow too, resulting a strong and happy marriage that conquers all their secrets and troubles.

Jasper is a realist with a quirky sense of humor, he's a foot-in-mouth kind of man, saying exactly what he wants when he wants, even if it sometimes gets him into trouble.
Melisande is a loyal, plain and intelligent woman who doesn't hesitate to do what she needs to get what she wants when she sets her mind to it. She is resolute and tenacious. She is not without a past and secrets of her own, that I knew from the beginning of the story but the revelation of her secrets still took me a bit by surprise.

Melisande and Jasper are total opposites, as Hoyt likes to write her main characters. While Melisande unnoticeably blends into the crowd never the center of attention, Jasper is flamboyant, lively, ever-present and noticed by everyone. Wherever he goes or is he's the center of attention. These differences are displayed in both their appearances and their personalities.
Jasper and Melisande's romance is an unconventional one. Their initial marriage of convenience gradually grows into a heart-felt and loving relationship with mutual admiration and respect where both of them give and receive equally.

Melisande may seem timid and colorless but underneath the plain exterior is a vibrant, bold and sensual woman and when that woman comes out Jasper is unable to resist her. Just as Melisande, Jasper is a multi-layered character. Outwardly and initially he is flamboyant, assertive and cheerful but deep down there's a trauma that influences his emotional state which he has to deal with. Deep down he has to face feelings of guilt and inadequacy over what happened to his regiment after they were betrayed in the War. This makes him rude and unsubtle sometimes, especially during his wedding night. I thought Samuel (hero of book 1 in this series) was boorish and disgraceful at times but in this particular scene Jasper outdid him. There is an explanation for Jasper's behavior to be found in his post-war trauma, but still it was a scene I really did not like and certainly not what I'm used to by Elizabeth Hoyt. Luckily it was just this small scene that made me frown and I was utterly pleased with the rest of the book.

All the elements I love in Elizabeth Hoyt's writing were present in this second installment of the Legend of the Four Soldiers series. In this book the humor and banter I missed a little in the previous book was back in full force. The dialogues between Melisande and Jasper, but also dialogues between the servants and the hilarious scenes with Melisande's little terrier, Mouse, and Jasper fighting for male dominance all caused lots of smiles on my face and provided me with the necessary lightness as opposed to intensity of the emotions and the seriousness of the plot.

This plot, involving the search for the traitor that sold the regiment out to the French and the Indians in the Colonial War, is continued from the first book. At a certain point I thought the mystery of the traitor had been solved but only a small element of it has been cleared and I'm curious to know more, which no doubt will happen in the next book.

There's also a small side story, a secondary romance, going on between Melisande's lady's maid Sally and Jasper's valet Pynch. It's very subtle, but it's absolutely there and I enjoyed reading it.
I also enjoyed the small fairytale at the beginning of every chapter. By now they are an ever-recurring element in Elizabeth Hoyt's historicals and like all the others, this one, called LAUGHING JACK, also contains parallels with the main story. In fact in this book I got three stories for the price of one, which is never a bad deal.

The love scenes are explicit, unembellished and sensual and, with the exception of the wedding night scene, they were all trademark Elizabeth Hoyt. They blend effortlessly into the time period and the story, fitting the characters, their development and Hoyt's overall writing style that is raw, blunt and outspoken. The imperfection of Elizabeth Hoyt's characters never fails to endear me. They take their flaws and make the best of it. The fact that they are flawed and don't let this frustrate them is something I adore every time I read her books.

Again this was an Elizabeth Hoyt book that entertained me and stirred my emotions. For me it was the perfect fusion of strong characters, a compelling romance and an intriguing plot. I'll be waiting for the next book in this series with bated breath.

Quote:
And at that moment he knew he was lost. Lost and blind and going down for the third time without any hope for salvation and he didn't give a damn. He would give anything to unravel this woman. He wanted to search out her innermost secrets and bare her soul. And when he knew her secrets, knew what she kept hidden away in her heart, he would guard it and her with his life. She was his, to protect and to hold.

Labels: Elizabeth Hoyt, Grand Central Publishing, great reads, Historical Romance, Legend of the Four Soldiers Series, reviews | 0 comments |

May 24, 2008

To Taste Temptation - Elizabeth Hoyt

11:37 PM |

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EVEN THE MOST REFINED LADY
Lady Emeline Gordon is the model of sophistication in London’s elite social circles, always fashionable and flawlessly appropriate. As such, she is the perfect chaperone for Rebecca, the young sister of a successful Boston businessman and former Colonial soldier.

CRAVES AN UNTAMED MAN
 Samuel Hartley may be wealthy, but his manners are as uncivilized as the American wilderness he was raised in. Who wears moccasins to a grand ball? His arrogant disregard for propriety infuriates Emeline, even as his boldness excites her.

TO RELEASE HER PASSION
… But beneath Samuel’s rakish manner, he is haunted by tragedy. He has come to London to settle a score, not to fall in love. And as desperately as Emeline longs to feel this shameless man’s hands upon her, to taste those same lips he uses to tease her, she must restrain herself. She is not free. But some things are beyond a lady’s control…

Emeline knows all the rules of the English society and she abides by them. But then she meets Samuel, a man unfamiliar with refined manners who does exactly as he pleases. He is a man who is dangerous to her feelings, the feelings she has always kept hidden deep inside and never showed anyone. She is sharp-tongued and quick-minded but hides it behind a façade of being a sweet and respectable widow of the ton. Samuel is the only one who sees through this, he recognizes and accepts her and makes her forget all the rules she has set for herself. He triggers something in her that makes her want to relinquish the control over her emotions to him. She tries to fight it but it's too strong and Samuel is too determined and alluring.
Samuel's feelings have been numbed by a massacre of his regiment in the War. His only goal is to seek out the traitor responsible for the betrayal and the subsequent massacre. When he uses Emeline and her contacts in the ton to find this traitor he discovers she is the only woman who can make him forget his self-doubt and guilt. Her intelligence and fierceness warms his heart and the voyage to England brings him more than just closure to the trauma of the massacre. He finds a real and passionate love in a woman who couldn't be farther from his reach.

It had been a while since I read something by Elizabeth Hoyt (I read THE SERPENT PRINCE, the last book of the PRINCE TRILOGY, in the summer of 2007) and after closing this book I realize how much I missed her wonderful stories and compelling, intricate characters and romances.
She has proved with this book once again for me why she is one of my favorite authors of Regency historicals. She masters the talent to bring a two people together who seemingly have absolutely nothing in common and who are terribly mismatched. This time Emeline and Samuel being on opposite sides of the society's scope. She is a sophisticated and refined lady of the ton. Samuel is an unpolished self-made man of the Colonies.

Like in the PRINCE trilogy every chapter starts with part of a fairytale. This one is called "The Legend of the Four Soldiers" and this book tells the part of "Iron Heart" The fairytale shows parallels with the actual main story. I love this in Elizabeth Hoyt's books.

I love her characters because they are contrary to the stereotype heroes and heroines. They have something special that appeals to me as a reader and her writing style is so refreshingly down-to-earth and pure, raw in comparison with the many sweet and flowery romances in this genre. It's this refreshing and unique writing style that has Elizabeth Hoyt on my auto-buy list. She combines simplicity with emotional depth in her characterization making them uncomplicated yet intriguing at the same time.

The buildup of this particular book was just perfect in my eyes. The story and romance developed slowly and compelling, building up an intense romance, spiked with a mystery plot.
She introduced future main characters in the series without taking away the attention from Emeline and Samuel's story. And the romance and love scenes were amazing. She worked up the developing feelings and sexual tension between Samuel and Emeline to an explosive and very erotic first love scene. I truly didn't mind having to wait for it until well into the second half of the book.
Hoyt found the perfect the pace needed for this story: Not fast-paced but not slow either. The exact blend of plot and romance to keep me enthralled.

All I can say is sit back, relax and indulge in this delightful, passionate story that rises above the genre to offer an emotional read that shines in its intensity and simplicity.

Quotes:
He shoved her bodily against the wall and pinned her there like some unfortunate moth. Then he bent his head and, avoiding her mouth, bit her neck, just under her ear. And her body –her idiot, traitorous body– responded, going all soft and warm.

Samuel: “I was cold without you, Emeline. You're the light that keeps me warm inside. If I left you, I think I'd freeze into a solid block of ice."

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