Book Review: The Redemption of a Rogue by Chasity Bowlin

Series: Book 2 in the ‘Dark Regency’.

“There is no man more dangerous than one staring death in the face.” ~~ Chasity Bowlin (Book: The Redemption of a Rogue)

 

What luck! I found the series box-set enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited. So I downloaded it, after all I did enjoy reading ‘The Haunting of a Duke’.

And Michael’s seemed like an interesting character in ‘The Haunting of a Duke’. I hope his story turns out as I’m expecting it to.

Let’s see how ‘The Redemption of a Rogue’ is….

Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance.

Main Characters: Abigail Barrows, Lord Michael Sutherland, Viscount Ellersleigh.

'The Haunting of a Duke by Chasity Bowlin' ~~ Synopsis:

Michael flees to the country when his recent lover refuses to understand that they have no future together. Not the permanent kind as he does not wish to get married ever.

His new plan also gives him the opportunity to inspect the new property he won in the card game.

When Michael reaches the castle, tired from the journey, he wonders if the old castle is inhabitable. The castle seems to be falling apart and is in desperate need of repair and maintenance.

But that he’d think about after resting.

Soon Michael finds that the castle not just needs repair. It also needs new servants, who are not past their retiring age and do like him a bit.

Another discovery, he makes is that of Abigail, a young unmarried relative of his card companion. His card companion conveniently forgot to warn Michael of her presence in the castle.

As much as Michael does not want to throw Abigail out of the only home she seems to have, but he has no other choice. He cannot allow Abigail to stay. It’d destroy her reputation.

Abigail did all she could do to keep herself from landing at the doorstep of her depraved step-sister Lavinia and her husband.

The arrival of Michael without any warning leaves Abigail with no option, but to move in with her step-sister.

She can tell Michael didn’t know about her and feels guilty about sending her away from her home. But they both know that’s the right thing to do.

Accepting whatever fate throws her way, is not new to Abigail and she’s not the kind to fall apart and tries her best to adjust to her new situations.

Michael came to the country to forget about his worries for a short while and not get entangled in the newer ones. Ever since evicting Abigail, he can’t stop thinking about how she’s doing in her sister’s house.

He’s well aware of Abigail’s step-sister and her husband depraved indulgences. They’re not the kind of people Michael in general likes to mingle with.

But when the couple invites him to join a party in their home, Michael accepts the invitation.

Everything was going fine in the party and he had made up his mind to leave after seeing Abigail was safe, but soon something about the whole set-up in his neighbor’s house begins to make him uncomfortable.

His troubles increase, when a dead body is found and everyone seems more than happy to lay the blame at Michael’s feet.

Michael begins to suspect that the party was thrown with the sole purpose of trapping him. Even when he can easily provide the proof of his innocence, he does not want to put Abigail on the spot.

When Abigail sees her step-sister and her minions trying their best to implicate Michael for a murder he didn’t commit, she comes out as his alibi. Her move seals their fate.

Michael declares to marry Abigail and takes her back to the castle after her step-sister attacks her. Soon Abigail & Michael are married to keep the appearances.

The more Michael thinks about the entire episode at Lavinia’s house, the more he suspects that they want something from him. His life may even be in danger.

And it’s not just him. It seems Abigail is in danger as well. Abigail’s brother-in-law and his friend have their eyes set on her for a long time. But what do they want from Michael, he’s yet to figure. 

Not only Michael is bent on solving the new mystery, he is also determined to find a way to seduce his new wife, who seems immune to his charm.

Then there’s also a matter of people practicing depraved rituals taking place in the nearby woods and the resident ghost.

 

Review:

 

As much as I enjoyed reading Michael & Abigail’s story, I still kept thinking it’d have been better.

First, there’s not much paranormal element in ‘The Redemption of a Rogue’. It’s actually probably less than ‘The Haunting of a Duke’. Same goes for the mystery part in this story.

In the ‘The Haunting of a Duke’ it’s not that easy to find the villain. I’d have loved some more paranormal element. The ghost this time is too tame and the other paranormal element vanishes into the thin air.

Despite all this I still could not stop reading ‘The Redemption of a Rogue’ as soon as possible.  

I liked Abigail a lot and her pragmatism. She does not waste her time dwelling over negative side; instead try to find a solution to her problems.

 

“Be kept ignorant of pertinent facts was never in anyone’s best interest.” ~~ Chasity Bowlin (Book: The Redemption of a Rogue)

 

Hit Or Miss: Hit.

Ratings: 4stars/5.

Buy: Amazon   |    iTunes

Happy Reading!

 

 

Book Review: The Haunting of a Duke by Chasity Bowlin

Series: Book 1 in the ‘Dark Regency’.

"I have learned we are all capable of horrible things with proper motivation." ~~ Chasity Bowlin (Book: The Haunting of a Duke)

“The Haunting of a Duke” was hiding somewhere in my Kindle for a while. One day, while riffling through titles I saw this. I can’t say that loved the cover as all covers appear gray & dull in Kindle.

But something about it nagged me to start reading it.

Now let's find out how ‘The Haunting Of A Duke By Chasity Bowlin’ turned out….

Genre: Historical-Paranormal Romance.

Main Characters: Emmaline Walters; Lord Rhys Brammel.

'The Haunting Of A Duke Chasity Bowlin' ~~ Synopsis:

Emme has the gift of seeing and talking to spirits. Sometimes the spirits help her uncover truths people want to hide. She refrains from flaunting her ability. But after helping a few people in need, she becomes known as a medium/physic. 

That’s the reason why Lady Phyllis invites Emme. Lady Phyllis wants the confirmation that her son, as rumored, didn’t kill his wife.

Emme doesn't mind her gifts much; not until she wakes up in strange places at night. Something if anyone finds out could ruin her reputation.

So getting lost in the tunnels in Lord Brammel's home at night isn't a pleasant surprise to wake up to. But Emme has no control over the spirits and how they want to direct her.

Rhys is surprised to find Emme roaming around in the tunnels at night and wondered what the alleged medium is up to.

He doesn't believe in charlatans, his mother likes to invite into their home. But he doesn't object either as that seems to keep his mother happy.

His mother's not the same since the murder of his younger sister and later the untimely death of his elder brother.

As if this many tragedies were no enough, when his crazy wife, Elise killed herself and everyone, including his mother, started suspecting Rhys.  

Rhys never wanted to marry Elise after the death of his brother. He'd even warned his brother against marrying her. But no one listened to him and unfortunately he too fell into Elise’s trap.

Now his mother, yet again has invited another unknown person in their home, who claims to talk to the spirits.

Just because his mother doesn't see the danger in inviting such people in their home that doesn't mean he should not keep an eye on Emme.

Rhys suspects Emme is up to something, maybe she wants to steal something or dupe his mother somehow or is a social climber. So he asks his childhood friend Michael to keep an eye on Emme in his absence.

Emme has enough troubles without adding a suspicious and handsome duke to the equation. He doesn't believe her that's not her only problem....

Emme is beginning to like Rhys. She knows that he distrusts her and does not believe in her abilities.

The other trouble is the nature of her gift seems to be changing as now she can see the spirits just like alive people. So she tells Michael about her conversation with Rhys’s late sister.  

Emme's disclosure unravels Michael and he begins to believe her. Michael shares his opinion with Rhys but Rhys isn't ready to believe in Emme's abilities.

But the killer isn't taking any chances dismissing Emme's claim to have talked to Rhys dead sister. If Emme can talk to the spirits, then he doesn't want to take the risk of Emme finding out.

Soon the killer begins his attempts to kill Emme. Rhys gets busy making sure Emme is safe. In his quest to keep Emme safe, Rhys once again finds himself getting married.

The hunt for the killer begins, who seems bent on killing Emme. Also the crazy spirit of Rhys ex wife comes back to haunt him too, threatening to take away one person he's starting to care about more than anyone.  

 

Review:

 

I enjoyed reading 'The Haunting of a Duke' so much so I ended up thinking that it's a novella that ended too soon. Emme and Rhys characters are interesting and the story is engaging till the end. The best part was when I guessed who the killer is.

The only thing that did bother me is how people came to know about Emme's abilities, considering she's not into flaunting or even acknowledging them. A bit of back story would have been nice.

Anyway, the story is interesting. If you too like your historical romance novels with ghosts roaming around then you might enjoy 'The Haunting of a Duke' too.

 

"When you save someone's hide, it is an act of friendship and generosity and should not be invoked later as a form of currency." ~~ Chasity Bowlin (Book: The Haunting Of A Duke)

Hit Or Miss: Hit!

Ratings: 4 stars/5.

Buy:  Amazon  |    iTunes

Happy Reading!

 

 

 

Book Review: The Wedding Duel by Katy Madison

Series: Book 1 in the ‘The Dueling Pistols’.

“Some things were just better left unsaid, unheard unthought.” ~~ Katy Madison (Book: The Wedding Duel)

 

I probably would not have read this book, if it were not part of a box-set and just because of the cover. Why change such a nice cover and exchange it with something so weird?

The one I saw on Goodreads is far better than this one. I was thinking I might be able to shoot that one.

Unfortunately, this book has the same dull cover for the anthology. Even separately the book has the same dull cover.

The blurb is misleading too. Why, why?

Anyways, let’s move on…

Genre: Historical Romance.

Main Characters: Sophie Farthing, Keene Davis.

‘The Wedding Duel by Katy Madison’ ~~ Synopsis:

Keene may not want to shoot one of his best friends. But he does not have a choice. Keen’s other friend is bent on ruining his life and marriage in grief over an incident.

But something goes wrong and he only ends up injuring his friend. On some level, Keene’s relieved. But he still has no idea how he’s going to clean the mess that his friends have created.

Maybe he shouldn’t have jumped into their predicament. It’s not as if there is lack of problems in his life.

Since the death of his younger brother, the true heir of his father, neither he nor his father knows how to deal with the loss. They also don’t know how to deal with their new predicament.

Keene is not his father’s son and the man who had raised him doesn’t want him to inherit the title or the property. But neither is ready to make the family secret public. 

So his father comes up with a solution: either Keene marries his cousin, who his father is determined to declare the next heir or Keene goes to prison for shooting a man.

Keene has many ambitions in life and not one of them involves going to prison. He wants to enter politics and for that he would need a wife anyway.

But he would have never chosen Sophie as the possible candidate for marriage. Sophie never knew anything about control or manners while she’s a kid and he’s sure she hasn’t changed much.

But Sophie he must marry or else. So he begins his journey to meet her parents, hoping they’d decline his offer because of his reputation.

All Sophie wants is to have some fun, ride a horse and if possible dance a little.

But all her parents want her to do is behave like a lady and do nothing until they have married her off to some respectable man. And there are few who her parents have brainwashed into wanting to marry her.

But none of them Sophie wants to marry. So in hopes to escape yet another suitor, Sophie jumps out of the window. But the plan goes wrong and Keene saves her.

Sophie remembers Keene, another person who doesn’t approve of her behavior. Turns out he wants to marry her. Sophie doesn’t know why, but she’s beyond caring.

She likes him and after marriage he’d take her away from her boring country life and stern parents. He surely would take her to attend a ball or two, thinking that Sophie accepts his offer.

Keene is as surprised as her parent with Sophie’s acceptance of his offer of marriage. She’s grown up, but she still seems to behave recklessly.

Then there’s a small issue of mutual attraction between them and the idea of marriage doesn’t seem all that unpleasant. At least, not until his father-in-law implies something that makes Keene wonder for how long he’d avoid his wife.

All the happy dreams of marriage and living in London with Keene, comes crashing down, when Keene leaves Sophie at his father’s house.

Sophie decides that she’d become the kind of woman Keene probably likes, so she’d win his heart. If only she knew the real problem’s something else.

 

Review:

Even if the cover is such a flop, the plot isn’t. I’m glad I didn’t get too much time to judge “The Wedding Duel” by its cover as I would have left reading it for some other time.

I found the duel funny. Maybe I shouldn’t have, it’s nothing to laugh about after all. But I still found it funny. Actually, quite a few situations made me laugh.

Then there’s so much misunderstanding going around that at one point I was sure it’s all going to get confusing. It does not. All the background drama only adds more to the drama, intensity and laughter to the story.

I felt bad for Sophie. After all, she’s the most confused character around and suffers quite a lot because of that. But it’s not like Keene is a bad guy. It’s just a complicated story set in an era with a different set of rules.

Then there’s a sub-plot. When I realized that it’s not going to fade away in the background anytime soon, I suspected I would leave the story in-between. After all, I didn’t sign up for that.

But the story in the background only adds to the confusion, chaos, drama and tension and I quite enjoyed it.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say, “The Wedding Duel” is a comedy of errors..

 

“A sinner in one regard apparently made one suspect in all other matters.” ~~ Katy Madison (Book: The Wedding Duel)

 

Hit or Miss: Hit.

Ratings: 4stars/5.

Buy: Amazon  |  iTunes

Happy Reading!