Book Title;    Scarlet
Author;  Jen Geiger Johnson

The roads in and out of Paris are heavily guarded, but the dead have easy passage out of the city. A ragged old woman transports the coffins of the most recent victims of the guillotine and is waved on unimpeded. Later, the same crone watches five French aristocrats step out of their coffins unscathed. Not beheaded but spirited away to safety by that most elusive of spies: the Pimpernel. Or, as she's known in polite society, Lady Scarlet Cavendish.
When not assuming her secret identity as a hero of the French Revolution, Scarlet presents herself as a fashionable, featherbrained young widow flitting about London. In truth, this façade is merely a diversion designed to conceal her clandestine work in France. Among members of the doomed French aristocracy, the Pimpernel is renowned for her bravery and cunning. But when tasked with rescuing handsome Comte Matteo Durand, she faces an unprecedented challenge: she is falling in love with the man. If ever there were a time to keep her head, it is now because in a world brimming with intrigue, she is not the only one harboring secrets. And if Scarlet doesn't take care, Madame la Guillotine may finally catch up with the Pimpernel.

(Amazon.com)

Intended Audience of Book — Adult
Genre—Historical Romance
Length of Book 256 pages
Rating (1-5) 5


Review



I loved this book. It is a great re-telling of the original Scarlet Pimpernel. There was suspense, romance, confusion and fun romance along the way. The author does a great job of drawing the reader in and getting involved in the story. There is suspense and a well written plot that keeps you guessing. Scarlet is headstrong, yet feminine and fun. Matteo is a great hero and a lovable and strong hero. He has his faults, but still turns out to be a great hero. The French revolution is portrayed realistically without being too graphic.

The other characters in the book are well written and believable. You can even find something ‘good’ about the villain, Eleanore, because she is easy to dislike! Ms. Johnson does a superb job of staying close to the original story line, but adding in her own interpretation and fun additions to the story to make it one of the books you come back to read again and again. Read it, you won’t be disappointed.


Content (1-5; 1 being minor, 5 being saturated) 1– some kissing
Sex 0
Violence 1 — talks about the French Revolution and the guillotines
Language 0
Overall Content Rating
Adult PG


Where did you get the book? Review Copy

What else can you suggest that readers might like? Victoria Holt, Georgette Heyer, Sarah M. Eden, Carla Kelly.

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March Cover Madness is BACK!

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Book: At the Water's Edge by Annette Lyon

Book Description:

Annela grew up in Helsinki feeling alone and unwanted. Now she has decided to begin a new spiritual life. In her heart, she knows that this new path will lead her to the happiness and peace she desires. But shadows from her past keep reappearing, stalling her progress and making her ultimate goal seem unreachable. First her boyfriend, Tommi, pledges his love, all the while acting in ways that destroy her faith in him. Then her mother, Helena, keeps a dark secret from her that could change Annela's life forever. Then Kenneth appears in her life, but during his brief stay in Finland, will he help her find the love and happiness she’s looking for, or will he prove to be one more complication?

https://www.amazon.com/At-Waters-Edge-Annette-Lyon-ebook/dp/B004NIFOEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475536324&sr=1-1&keywords=at+waters+edge+annette+lyon


Genre:  LDS Romance
Length: 208 pages

5 Star Review:

 I really enjoyed this book. It was very thoughtful and real. I thought the characters were sweet and real. Kenneth was the best hero and I enjoyed how he tried to win Annela over. Annela’s commitment to the Church was well written without seeming over zealous. The romance was great and dealt with some tough subjects like rape/assault, domestic abuse, and alcoholism very well. There were fun and romantic moments as well as serious, thoughtful choices and decisions that needed to be made. I especially enjoyed the ending (who doesn’t love a good ending). The side stories and characters were well written and enjoyable people. I especially loved Sister Henderson and her matchmaking schemes. Even the villains of the story were redeemable, and I love that theme, that they could repent and be forgiven, but it wasn’t trivialized and made to seem easy. Overall a great LDS read. (no need to say it is a clean romance, right?)

Content:

Sex: 0
Violence: 1 (rape/assualt, domestic violence, alcoholism issues are addressed/decsribed)
language: 0

Review Copy

What to read: If you like this book, you will love Annette's other books, especially "War of Hearts" and "Between the Lines". You will also like her contributions to the Timeless Regency Romance Collections.

Book: Her Fateful Debut: A Regency Romance by G. G. Vandagriff

Book Description:

Classic Regency romance with a dash of suspense . . .
Beautiful Miss Penelope Swinton wants to live out her life as a spinster in her beloved Northamptonshire, but with an ailing father and an entailed estate, she must come to London and enter the Marriage Mart. And if she must marry, she is determined to marry for love.
In a brief respite from the social whirl of the season, she retreats from the restrictions of the ton to sketch in the park and stumbles over a French spy. When Penelope finds her life in danger, Viscount Beau Wellingham steps up to protect her, however he has secrets of his own. Wellingham leads a clandestine life as an agent for the Foreign Office trapping spies. In defending her life, he unwittingly puts her reputation at risk.
In order to save Penelope from society’s scorn, Beau presses for a betrothal. Though she resists, he insists. Soon Beau is unable to deny the attraction he feels towards her. Before he can act on his feelings, danger rises again. This time, his life is on the line.
With a desperate spy closing in, Penelope must choose the safety of what she has always known or a chance for love. But will she be too late?

https://www.amazon.com/Her-Fateful-Debut-Regency-Romance-ebook/dp/B01KL6KSOK?tag=blasttours-20

My Review:

I really enjoyed this classic regency romance. Ms. Vandagriff is a talented writer and it shows in this sweet romance, with a little mystery thrown in for excitement. Beau is a classic hero. He is strong and full of chivalry. In fact, his chivalry is what starts the whole story going. Penolope must mary inorder to save her family’s estate. I loved the dialogue between the characters and how they interacted with each other. This is a fun and interesting story. I love a romance with a little mystery mixed in. The supporting characters were well written and provided much entertainment. Penelope is a strong, but feminine lead. She does what she must and ultimately make the best choice. I loved the book all the way through. It is definetly a must read. Clean and well written.   

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review


Ratings:

5 Stars
PG -- Adult Themes
Sex: 0
Violence: 1 (shooting and spy dangers)
Language: 0

Suggestions:

Other books by G. G. Vandagriff, books by Sarah M. Eden and Heather B. Moore