Friday Featured Spotlight ~ Untreed Reads & 4 Reviews

Founded in 2008, Untreed Reads is a digital-first publisher and ebook distributor with one of the largest distribution channels in the industry, supplying titles to over 200 retailers and 98 percent of libraries worldwide. With a catalog of works covering nearly every genre and the option for publishers to distribute their content through its network, Untreed Reads is a full-service location for authors and publishers.

*Books source ~ Many thanks to Untreed Reads for providing review copies in exchange for honest reviews.

Title ~ An Angel for the Earl

Author ~ Barbara Metzger

Published ~ 19 August 2011

(first published ~ 31 January 1994)

Genre ~ Historical/Romance/Paranormal

Pages ~ 201

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Lucinda is a plain and chubby heiress. Severely sheltered from the world she believes the handsome and dashing Captain Anders when he says he loves her and convinces her to elope to Gretna Green. Unfortunately for Lucinda, she’s been hoodwinked in the worst way. In a struggle to defend herself from his now unwanted advances at an inn along the way, she unintentionally kills him. Compromised and now a murderess (even if it was self defense) she steals a horse and rides for home. Except she falls off the horse and hits her head. Now in a coma, her irate father declares her dead to the family and other than putting her in a bed he orders no one to feed or help her. He intends to let her die. Can we say asshat?

Lucinda, stuck between the living and the dead is told she has two weeks to reform Kieren Somerfield, sixth earl of Stanford if she wants to walk through the Pearly Gates. Kieren is deeply in debt with no hope in sight of ever being flush with cash let alone fix up the ancestral estate. He sees only one way out, but as he puts his father’s dueling pistol on the desk, he hears a voice.  There sits Lucinda and she’s beginning to realize this reformation is going to be a lot harder than she was led to believe. Let the convincing begin.

Lucinda has been a good girl all her life, but since she racked up some serious sin in the short time before she hit her head she’s one of those souls that is hard to judge whether she should go to Heaven or Hell. So they give her the time it will take for her body to die without nourishment to reform a man who appears impossible to reform. If she can do that then she is destined for Heaven.

What a great story! I’ve read historical romances by Metzger before and enjoyed every one of them, but this is the first one of hers that has a touch of the paranormal to it. I was curious to see if she could pull it off and I’m happy to give a resounding Yes!  Full of humor, fun and wonderful characters, it is a great ride watching Lucy (as Kerry calls her) convince Kerry first that she is a real apparition and second if he doesn’t reform his ways he will not only condemn himself to Hell, but her as well. And I have to say how much I love the ending. *swoon*

Title ~ Valentine's

Author ~ Barbara Metzger

Published ~ 21 January 2013

(first published 30 December 1995)

Genre ~ Historical/Romance/Anthology

Pages ~ 215

My Rating ~5 bites out of 5

An anthology containing three short historical romances filled with excellent characters, humor and fun situations. I enjoyed each story and I love how the author adds humor and fun to her historical romances.

Bald Lies

Three long time friends are sitting around their club getting drunk because they each have a problem that is getting them down. The viscount believes his wife is having an affair, the baron is seriously in debt and the earl is suffering the most horrible of all fates. Well, to a virile single man in his early 30s anyway. The decision is made to go to the country and hold a Valentine’s Ball, hopefully solving everyone’s problems in one fell swoop. And that’s when the fun begins.

The Last Valentine

Martine has been exiled by her father for a youthful mistake. Her life is pretty miserable, but she tries not to let it get her down. She has made friends in the small village and is always willing to help the vicarage with the children and the poor. Then one week before Valentine’s Day she receives an anonymous note on the door knocker. Who is this man? Is he the one who left her disgraced and exiled? Can she forgive him for the last four years? Martine isn’t sure, but his heartfelt notes each morning have her heart fluttering once again. What will happen when he shows himself on Valentine’s Day?

Love and Tenderness

Senta is in the middle of her wedding night when she spots a ghost. Her new husband, Viscount Maitland, believes he is the cause of her screams and he leaves the room. Soon after, believing his new wife only married him for his title and wealth he goes off to London to pout. Well, he’s also is trying to find a blackmailer, but mostly he’s pouting, leaving Senta alone in the country with a ghost who has amnesia. The mystery surrounding Maitland’s brother’s death is the cause of the blackmail and Senta, along with a motley entourage, descends on her husband in London intent on helping him solve the problem and consummate their marriage. Because she loves the idiot and by golly she won’t allow him to file for an annulment if she has anything to say about it.

Title ~ Minor Indiscretions

Author ~ Barbara Metzger

Published ~ 13 September 2013

(first published 31 March 1991)

Genre ~ Historical/Romance

Pages ~ 177

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Melody Ashton is on her way home to The Oaks after 10 years at the Select Academy for Young Ladies where she learned the many things a Lady needs to know to operate in proper society as well as how to curb her redheaded temper. She has completed her education, is so very glad to putting the Academy behind her and has dreams of her coming out in London.  However, when she gets home she finds things are not exactly what she was led to believe or expected. When Lord Coe comes knocking accusing her mother of blackmail things are even worse than she knew. How will she ever get to the bottom of the blackmail, get the estate back on its feet, take care of the orphans in her charge and deal with her unmistakable attraction to the rich, handsome mischievous viscount? Well, the viscount has plans of his own and he rarely loses.

Poor Melody! She’s been led to believe for 10 years that when she was done at the awful school she would have her grand season in London. How wrong things turn out to be, but she makes the best of it. Even when Lord Coe comes knocking and things couldn’t possibly look worse for her family she holds her head up and stiffens her backbone. This story starts out with miscommunication and misunderstandings, but it slowly resolves itself with humor, wacky but fun characters and a romance to sigh over. Another fun read by Barbara Metzger!

Title ~ The Hourglass

Author ~ Barbara Metzger

Published ~ 20 April 2013

(first published 6 March 2007)

Genre ~ Historical/Romance/Paranormal

Pages ~ 382

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Coryn, Earl of Ardeth is really Ar Death and a reaper, a minion of the Devil. After centuries of reaping souls he wants a chance to be mortal and takes steps to that end in case he wins his gamble with the Devil. Win he does and the Devil has to put up or shut up. Making Ardeath mortal and then adding the caveat that Ardeath has to find his humanity and his hourglass (the brooch symbolizing his office) in six months or he will serve the Devil for all eternity. Ardeath is put down in the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo and immediately sets to work easing the pain and suffering of the soldiers. While there he comes across a penniless widow, Imogene Hopewell Macklin, who has been cast off from polite society. His solution to both of their situations is for them to marry before heading to London. The problems before them seem insurmountable, but Ardeath has been a reaper in Hell for centuries. He’s not about to give up now especially when his mortal future is beginning to look so bright.

Well, this is the second historical romance with a paranormal twist by Barbara Metzger that I've read and I have to say I loved it. Her stories are always so entertaining and light-hearted even when the characters seem as if they will never rise from their problems and despairs. The romance part takes a bit of a back seat in this until towards the end while the paranormal part is the majority of the story. However, it all comes together beautifully. The writing carried me along and I didn’t want to put it down. Ardeath is one interesting dude and Genie has some spunk. I quite enjoyed how she tried to ignore her new husband’s *cough* eccentric behavior. And Olive the crow is hilarious. I would not have been so forgiving of her family as Genie is, but other than that I love how she’s trying to go with Ardeath’s flow. A sigh-worthy romance that also entertains is a rare treat and this one fits the bill nicely.