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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*
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.
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!
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.
