392. The Paid Companion (Amanda Quick)

"The Alchemist" by William Fettes Douglas

Synopsis from Amazon UK:
The Earl of St. Merryn needs a woman. His intentions are purely practical -- he simply wants someone sensible and suitably lovely to pose as his betrothed for a few weeks among polite society. He has his own agenda to pursue, and a false fiancee will keep the husband-hunters at bay while he goes about his business. The simplest solution is to hire a paid companion. Finding the right candidate proves more of a challenge than he expected. But when he encounters Miss Elenora Lodge, her feisty manner and golden eyes sway him to make a generous offer. Elenora's sorry financial circumstances -- and dreams of a life of independence -- leave her little choice but to accept. But St. Merryn appears to be hiding a secret or two, and things seem oddly amiss in his gloomy London home. Elenora soon discovers that this lark will be a far more dangerous adventure than she'd been led to believe. And the Earl of St. Merryn will find that the meek and mild companion he'd initially envisioned has become a partner in his quest to catch a killer -- and an outspoken belle of the ball who stirs a bothersome passion in his practical heart.

My rating: 4 stars

391. Uncommon Vows (Mary Jo Putney)

Synopsis from author:
Lady Meriel de Vere had deceived Adrian, Earl of Shropshire. Standing in the royal forest, her falcon perched on her arm, she boldly claimed to be a Welsh commoner, not a noble Norman. Lord Adrian beheld in wonder her raven-black hair and defiant blue eyes, heard her lies, and felt a dark, primeval passion rob him of all reason. In one irrevocable move of fate, he ordered this fair beauty locked in his castle’s tower, vowing to entice her into surrendering her kisses with lips as hungry as his own. Never to give in, to die if she must, was Meriel’s vow ... until one rash moment of impetuousness swept them both up in the royal battles of kings ... and into a dangerous intrigue of sweet caresses ... and fiery, all-consuming love.

My rating: 3 stars

390. A Perfect Groom (Samantha James)

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
Proud of his reputation as a rogue, Justin Sterling intends tobe the first to bed "The Unattainable" — the Season's most luscious debutante — and win the wager that's the talk of the ton. However, he never expected the enchantress in question to be Arabella Templeton, who once stole his heart and owns it still. Now the notorious scoundrel will have to prove to her that his intentions are honorable ... while protecting her virtue from every other rascal in London. Arabella will marry only for love — and she does not need her childhood nemesis to act as her self-appointed guardian! Though the arrogant cad seems sincere, she is well aware of his rakehell history and won't be swayed by his considerable charm and disarming good looks. For it would be pure madness for Arabella to ignore the voice of reason that whispers "beware!" and heed instead a traitorous heart that insists Justin Sterling would make ....

My rating: 3 stars

389. An Agent In Place (Robert Littell)

The U. S. Embassy in Moscow

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
Deep in the vastness of the Pentagon and the bowels of the massive KGB center in Moscow are old Cold Warriors who refuse to fade away. Yet how can they wage their battles when there are no enemies anymore? Their answer is Ben Bassett. Sent to Moscow as a lowly embassy “housekeeper,” Bassett meets a fiercely independent, passionate Russian poet, Aïda Zavaskaya, and falls under her spell. Together they become pawns in a dreadful game that leads to the clandestine heart of the Soviet system itself.

My rating: 4 stars

388. An Invitation to Sin (Suzanne Enoch)

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
Seven marriageable daughters ... and Lord Zachary Griffin is just the man to help them. After all, what could be more tantalizing than teaching the beautiful Witfeld sisters all the special ways of driving a man into submission -- and marriage? And leading exquisite Caroline Witfeld, the most spirited and least frivolous sister, to temptation would be wildly delicious. Zachary doesn't realize that Caroline's longing gazes have less to do with attraction and more to do with admission -- to a prestigious arts conservatory. If only she could set those high cheekbones, that aristocratic brow, and those powerful shoulders to canvas, her dreams would all come true. But Caroline is soon having dreams of a very different sort -- ones that involve the charming rogue and some improper behavior hardly befitting a lady dedicated to her art ...unless she becomes dedicated to the art of love.

My rating: 3 stars

387. The Lion's Lady (Julie Garwood)

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
Christina Bennett had taken London society by storm. The ravishing beauty guarded the secret of her mysterious past until the night Lyon, Marquis of Lyonwood, stole a searching, sensuous kiss. An arrogant nobleman with a pirate's passions, he tasted the wild fire smoldering beneath Christina's cool charm and swore to posess her .... But the fiesty and defiant Christina would not be so easily conquered. Mistress of her heart and of her fortune, she resisted Lyon's sensuous caresses. She dared not surrender to his love ... for then, she must also forsake her precious secret ... and her promised destiny!

My rating: 3 stars

386. Cocktail Time (P. G. Wodehouse)

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
Arguably the funniest of four books about the Earl of Ickenham, this romp begins with the unruly sexagenarian knocking the hat off his stuffy in-law Beefy Bastable with a slingshot. Bastable, assuming the outrage was perpetrated by a Drones Club member, takes his revenge by anonymously publishing a scandalous novel about the misbehavior of the young titled Cocktail Time. Then, afraid that exposure of his authorship will wreck his political aspirations, he lets his worthless nephew, Cosmo, claim the book's authorship and its royalties. The wicket doesn't get really sticky until Cosmo learns that Hollywood studios are bidding big bucks for Cocktail Time. In the midst of all this, as well as several romances in need of repair, Lord Ickenham is in his element, with happy endings to the deserving and big laughs assured.

My rating: 5 stars

Publication information:

• 1958
• Herbert Jenkins, London
  

385. Map of Bones (James Rollins)

Shrine of the Three Magi, Cologne Cathedral, Germany

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
In this seventh outing, hooded men invade midnight mass at the Cologne Cathedral and slaughter almost everyone present, then break open a gold sarcophagus and steal ... the bones of the Three Wise Men. Grayson Pierce, top agent in the Department of Defense's covert Sigma Force, takes a team to Rome, joins up with love-interest Rachel Verona, a carabinieri corps lieutenant, and her Vatican official uncle, Vigot. It seems that the Dragon Court, a medieval alchemical cult-cell that still operates within the Catholic Church, is to blame, and it also seems that the bones of the Magi aren't really bones, but the highly reactive Monatomic gold that the group plans to use to accomplish its ultimate goal — Armegeddon.

My rating: 1 star

My review: Craptacular.

384. Wicked Widow (Amanda Quick)

Source: www.alanayers.com

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
Setting: London, Regency period
Sensuality Rating: 7
Artemis Hunt, the mysterious master of a secret society, has been obsessed by the knowledge that he was unable to protect his mistress from a brutal death, and has spent the last five years plotting her revenge. Madeline Reed Deveridge, known as the infamous Wicked Widow by polite society, is rumored to have murdered her husband. But now Madeline is afraid that her dead spouse has returned from beyond the grave to terrorize her. In fear for her life and that of her beloved aunt, Madeline blackmails Artemis into aiding her by threatening to expose his ownership of the Dream Pavilions, London's premier pleasure garden -- an association, if revealed, that would destroy his reputation and put his long-held plans of vengeance at serious risk. The two are drawn together at first by necessity, but Artemis soon finds himself intrigued then intoxicated by the confident woman known as the Wicked Widow. Madeline, who is inclined to distrust men after her disastrous marriage, falls prey to the unfamiliar feelings Artemis inspires in her. Their burgeoning passion may save them each from an empty future -- if their secrets don't kill them first.

My rating: 3 stars

383. The Lady Chosen (Stephanie Laurens)

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
"It's a sad day when, having survived everything the French could throw at us, we, England's heroes, return home -- only to face an even greater threat," laments Tristan, fourth Earl of Trentham, to his fellow ex-spies after they return from war with Napoleon to discover the sword of matrimony hanging over their heads. In response, the titled gentlemen set up the Bastion Club, a retreat where they can exchange intelligence about the eager-eyed damsels who are their latest challenge. This first installment in Laurens's new series focuses on Tristan, who must wed within a year or support his 14 maiden aunts without his inheritance. Little does he expect to find his future with Leonora Carling, neighbor to the Bastion Club and the victim of several recent home invasions. Intrigued by both Leonora and the suspicious events, Tristan bends his talents to uncovering the mystery burglar and to charming Leonora. Leonora, who has no use for marriage, may be new to the sexual tension vibrating between her and Tristan, but she's willing to explore further, believing that nothing permanent can come of it. When Tristan insists that she marry him, the battle of wills commences.

My rating: 2 stars

382. The Prince Kidnaps a Bride (Christina Dodd)

Pic de Bugatet in the Pyrenees

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
When it seems the assassins tracking her for the last decade have finally discovered her whereabouts, Crown Princess Sorcha knows it is time to leave the Scottish convent and return home to Beaumontagne to take up her royal duties. But getting back to her small homeland in the Pyrenees will not be easy. At first, Sorcha has the idea of traveling with arnou, a fisherman, but Mother Superior and the good sisters of Monnmouth Abbey have another plan in mind. A disguised Sorcha soon finds herself wending her way across Scotland. Then, to her surprise, a very determined Arnou soon catches up with her. Arnou insists he only wants to see her safely to Beaumontagne, but Sorcha thinks something is fishy about his story.

My rating: 3 stars

381. The Hazards of Hunting a Duke (Julia London)

Synopsis from Amazon:
After their mother's untimely death, Ava Fairchild, her sister Phoebe, and their cousin Greer discover their family's fortune is now under the control of their penny-pinching stepfather, Lord Downey. To avoid Downey's plan to marry them off to the first suitors who show up, Ava decides to find her own husband. Fortunately, Ava has already met the perfect candidate: Jared Broderick, the Marquis of Middleton. Tired of being pressed by his father to abandon his rakish ways and marry a respectable woman, Jared realizes that marrying Ava offers the perfect solution to his problems. What Jared gets, however, is a wife who isn't about to accept a mere marriage of convenience but rather a woman who will settle for nothing less than a marriage based on love.

My rating: 3 stars

380. An Independent Woman (Candace Camp)

Synopsis from Amazon:
When her father dies, Juliana and her mother lose everything they own. Wealthy relatives Lilith and Trenton coldly offer them shelter but only out of a society-imposed sense of duty. Juliana's cousins, both sadistic brats, make sure her life is miserable. Except for orphaned heir Nicholas, who is also at the mercy of Lilith and Trenton, Juliana is friendless. When Nicholas leaves his family estate, Juliana is truly alone. She finds work as a lady's companion; then, years later, while accompanying her charge to a ball, she runs into Nicholas, now a wealthy lord. When he finds out how miserable her life is, Nicholas proposes, although he is not sure that her feelings for him run beyond the bounds of friendship. The wedding itself is made even more memorable when one of their guests is murdered -- and Nicholas is the main suspect.

My rating: 2 stars

379. The Trouble with Mary (Millie Criswell)

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Synopsis from Amazon:
When the going gets tough, Mary Russo goes for the chocolate. Her boss at the pizza parlor has just committed suicide, and while gorging on chocolate cannoli (recipe included), Mary decides to open her own Italian restaurant in Baltimore. In spite of her mother's strenuous objections, Mary manages to make it a success until the new restaurant critic, Dan Gallagher, gives it a bad review. Dan doesn't like Italian food, but when Mary comes to the paper to complain, he finds that he does like Italian women. Mary reciprocates the attraction and decides that Dan would be the ideal candidate for her first affair. But their love life is complicated by Mary's zealous family, who wants her to find a nice Italian boy, and a grandmother with kleptomaniac tendencies.

My rating: 2 stars

378. Fairest of Them All (Teresa Medeiros)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Spoiled, headstrong Holly de Chastel views her legendary beauty as a curse. Her father has brought scores of suitors before her, and Holly has chased off every one. Finally, the Duke feels pushed to the edge. In a fit of exasperation, he decides to hold a jousting tournament, with Holly's hand in marriage as the prize. The news travels quickly, and as befitting such a famous beauty, the castle is soon packed to the rafters with knights seeking to win the fair maiden. Only most of them scuttle out of the courtyard at their first sight of Holly. The rumors of her beauty have been some kind of cruel joke. The woman who appears before the assemblage is ugly, horribly ugly. With the assistance of her maid, Holly has hacked off her hair, stained her teeth a filthy brown, and padded her clothing to create a body that's lumpy in all the wrong places. Ugly suits Sir Austyn of Gavenmore, and the towering Welshman joins the tournament in earnest. He's not interested in winning a beauty, indeed he plans to stay as far away from beautiful women as he can. He knows he's doomed by The Gavenmore Curse. All of the men in his family have married beautiful women, and all have mistreated and murdered their wives in fits of jealous rage. Austyn has no intention of fulfilling his birthright. What he does need is money to refurbish his crumbling castle, and the fair Holly has a substantial dowry. Of course once he lays eyes on her, Austyn understands the necessity of such a large purse. A fearsome warrior, Austyn wins the tournament and starts off for Wales with his new bride. As they travel across England, Holly and Austyn come to care for each other. Holly itches to reveal her true self to her new husband, but she soon learns of the curse, and Austyn's determination to stay far away from beautiful women. Somehow, someday Holly knows he will have to learn the truth. She only hopes he can learn to love her anyway.

My rating: 3 stars

377. The Dangerous Lord (Sabrina Jeffries)

Synopsis from Amazon:
To prevent a dear friend from wedding Ian Lennard, the notorious Viscount St. Clair, Felicity Taylor reveals his shady past in her anonymous London gossip column. But the dauntless miss never imagined St. Clair's rage — for the dangerous rake is now short a bride and desperately needs an heir. Threatened with exposure and ruin, Felicity has no choice but to marry the hot-blooded lord herself. Ian needs a wife merely to secure his fortune, but in Felicity he has met his match in both wit and passion. And no danger is greater than the possibility that he might actually be falling in love with his fiery new bride!

My rating: 4 stars

376. Asking for Trouble (Elizabeth Young)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Sophy, a charmingly sarcastic London recruiter on "the cutting edge of human-resource management," is in no rush to get hitched and only mildly disheartened when her long-standing boyfriend dumps her. Her fretting Mum believes that "an unattached daughter who's just hit thirty is a Serious Worry," so to keep her happy, Sophy fabricates a handsome, attentive, successful suitor named Dominic. But when younger and prettier sister Belinda decides to marry, Sophy is forced to produce her new bloke. Ever resourceful, a desperate Sophy hires Josh from a London escort service to play the part of Dominic and accompany her to her sister's wedding. Predictably, within hours of meeting her paid companion, lusty Sophy finds herself attracted to him. Lies are piled on top of lies as the duplicitous Sophy suffers the "strain of spending a whole evening and night with a man I fancied the pants off while pretending I didn't (to him), while at the same time pretending I did (for the family)."

My rating: 3 stars

375. Lady Be Good (Susan Elizabeth Phillips)

The (jn)famous 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass

Synopsis from Amazon:
Lady Emma Wells-Finch is determined to cause a scandal. Nothing big, you understand, just enough to convince her pompous British suitor that she's not an eligible candidate for marriage. She's thinking along the lines of, oh, maybe a discreet tattoo. But when suspended Texas golf pro Kenny Traveler meets her plane at Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport, Emma decides that he's the perfect candidate to destroy her reputation. Kenny, on the other hand -- who desperately wants to be reinstated on the golf tour -- is just as determined to keep a low profile and remain squeaky-clean. If Lady Emma weren't a close personal friend of the golf commissioner's wife, he'd never have agreed to squire her around town. Unfortunately for Kenny, his weakness for the British beauty is growing daily, and it seems as though Emma may have feelings for him as well. In a bizarre turn of events, wild man Kenny finds himself trying to keep the prim and proper British lady from causing a scandal the size of which even the lone-star state has never seen, and the results will leave you laughing with delight.

My rating: 3 stars

My review: The plot and the dialogue are typical Phillips -- very sweet and funny. The characters, however, are straight stereotypes. Lady Emma? All hats and flowery dresses. Kenny? Cowboy boots and swagger. The book would have been great otherwise.