Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught

Rating: A+

Setting: Historical

Hero: Clayton Westmoreland

Heroine: Whitney Stone

After terribly embarrassing her father when she makes a cake of herself by throwing herself all over a local boy, Paul, Whitney Stone is sent to Paris with her uncle and aunt. There, she blossoms under the loving care of her uncle and aunt and turns into a beautiful, confident and witty young woman. She becomes the new rage in Paris when she is presented to the Parisian Society, capturing the heart of sophisticated and suave Nicolas DuVille. But Whitney remains loyal to her childhood love and returns to England all ready to win Paul's heart with her charms. But she doesn't know that her swimming-in-debts father has traded her off with the Duke of Claymore.

Nicolas DuVille wasn't the only one infatuated with Whitney. Clayton Westmoreland, 9th Duke of Claymore was also fascinated by her when she spurred with him at a masquerade, unknowing who he was, and making fun of noble titles. And that was the time Clayton knew he had to have her but he was also aware that Whitney's stubbornness and willfulness won't let him approach her in a typical courtship. So he devises a plan of paying off her father's debts and signing a betrothal with her father without her knowledge. After Whitney gets to know the truth, there begins a roller coaster ride of emotions and relationship intricacies by the end of which we have a wonderful story of two people who learned to learn from their mistakes, a willful hoyden who ended up a lot more grown-up and mature and an arrogant man who learnt not to jump to conclusions every time. 

Over the years as I read more discussions online about this book and its characters, I came to acknowledge their flaws as well but Whitney, My Love was also my book by Judith McNaught, so it must have had something that made me go on a JM spree and devour all her novels! 

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Dark Lover by JR Ward

Rating: A-

Setting: Paranormal

Hero: Wrath

Heroine: Beth

Dark Lover by JR Ward (who also writes under the name of Jessica Bird) is the first book of her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Based in present day Caldwell, New York, the Brothers of an ancient order of vampire warriors are the last thing standing between their race and the soul-less vampire slayers, Lessers, who are recruited by Omega (a supernatural evil power) to drive the vampire race to extinction. 

In BDB novels, vampires are a separate specie from humans, to be a vampire you have to be carrying vampire blood, no getting-bitten-and-waking-up-a-vampire stuff. At the start of their lives, they seem to be like humans with no special powers and they can go out in daylight as well. But in their mid-twenties, they go through their 'transition' and turn into full-fledged vampires. They need to drink blood from opposite gender to survive. Vampires are few in numbers because of armies of slayers hunting them down, high infant mortality rate and because not all of vampires survive the demands of the rigours transition phase.

Dark Lover's hero Wrath is the last pure-blood vampire left in the world, which makes him the king of the race. But he's a soldier by choice and wants nothing to do with the kingship. His closest friend Darius asks Wrath to help his daughter through her transition. The problem is the daughter is half-human, who doesn't know that she's going to be turned into a vampire soon and on the other hand, Wrath hates humans and doesn't want to be saddled with the responsibility. 

Beth has been noticing changes in her body but has been largely ignoring them as she works as a writer for a local newspaper. But one night she thinks that she dreamt of a large dark man with fangs but when realizes that its not a dream but reality, she's close to freaking out but she can't over her attraction to the dangerous man. 

I am totally not into paranormal romance but JR Ward's Dark Lover was my first fling with this genre and I am totally hooked! These Black Dagger Brothers like rap music, fast cars, black leather, play pool and have the whole alpha male machoism going on, but they have their own flaws as well as strengths. The romance between Beth and Wrath is gut-twisting, although sometimes reader can get confused how the total alpha male (or vampire in this case) can turn into a sappy puppy whenever Beth's around. But the story line is fast and exhilarating which makes it a page-turner, although one feels stuck in the pages when the Lessers go on and on about their Mr. D's and Mr. X's. I would have been a lot happier if there were lesser pages of those lessers!

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The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Rating: A-

Setting: Historical

Hero: Simon Basset

Heroine: Daphne Bridgerton

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn is the first book in the Bridgerton series that the author wrote. The Bridgertons, headed technically by the eldest brother, Anthony and socially by their mother are one big happy family with all of their eight children named alphabetically. Daphne is, yes you guessed it, fourth of the eight children and eldest of the four girls. She is a normal girl, who likes dresses and parties, and wants to get married and start her own family. The problem is that she's just too normal that all the eligible men consider her just a friend rather than a woman.

Simon Basset didn't have a nice childhood, his father refusing to accept him as a son when he didn't fill criteria of a perfect son because he had a stutter. Over the years, Simon distanced himself from his father, coming back from Europe only after the duke's death. But the new duke of Hastings is ambushed by all the marriage-minded society mothers who find him irresistible with his new dukedom. Daphne was Simon's best friend's younger sister with whom he devised a plan of a fake courtship to the ton's matchmakers at bay. Daphne tagged along thinking the interest shown in her by a duke might spark a renewed curiosity in her among the ton's gentlemen.

The best thing I liked about the novel was how 'normal' Daphne was. It was refreshing to read about a heroine who was normal and ordinary, and liked to do things that a young lady generally did in Regency England. Her desire of having a family of her own is the driving force of the story and it also leads her to do a desperate and cruel act that in my opinion is a bit too much for poor Simon. But of course, the dialogues are refreshingly witty dialogues that put a smile on your face. And the character of gossip column writer Lady Whistledown, with her razor-sharp comments about the members of the Society at the start of each chapter add an extra spice to the book. This book is what you put at your book shelf! 

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Perfect by Judith McNaught

Rating: A+

Setting: Contemporary

Hero: Zachary Benedict

Heroine: Julie Mathison

Judith McNaught's novel Perfect is just that....perfect! Zack Benedict is a former Academy Award winner actor/director, wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife. Julie Mathison is a small-town school teacher who wants to carve out a ‘perfect’ life for herself as a way of atoning for her early childhood years of being a street urchin. Their paths cross when Zack escapes from prison and Julie gives him a ride thinking him an ordinary hitch-hiker. 

The roller coaster ride starts when recognizes Zack and tries to escape, Zack has to kidnap her and force her to drive him to his hide-out. Once they are at the cottage, Zack can't let Julie go for the fear that she would inform police about his whereabouts which means they are stuck together and thus begins one of the most over-whelming romance stories. 

I can't list all of the reasons I love Perfect since there are so many of them, but some of them are: It's a complete clash of Julie's optimistic innocence with Zack's jaded cynicism that drives the story. Another thing to admire is Julie's courage in taking the plunge in allowing herself to love Zack even when he didn't have respectability to offer as an attraction. Yes, he had killer looks but he was also a escaped convict which didn't fit at all in Julie's idea of being perfect. 

This is one of my all-time favorite books with certain parts (like Zack's letter to Julie, the phone call he made from South America) almost memorized. I also like the fact how Judith McNaught weaved her support for "Literacy. Pass it on" campaign, targeted at fighting illiteracy among American women.

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Secrets of Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas

Rating: A-

Setting: Historical

Hero: Simon Hunt

Heroine: Annabelle Peyton

Secrets of Summer Nights by Lisa Kleypas is the first of her wonderful Wallflowers series about four young ladies who enter the London society with one common goal: they must find a husband using their feminine wit and wiles and thus a daring husband-hunting scheme is born. 

A girl, despite being a wallflower, can over-come any problem in her husband-hunting, other than the lack of a dowry! Annabelle Peyton represents Old World aristocracy, she's beautiful and genteel -- and desperately trying to maintain the appearance of wealth. She's determined to use her wits and beauty to snag a nobleman to save her family from total ruin. She would not settle for less than an aristocrate as it was unthinkable in those times for nobility to marry outside their circle. Simon Hunt, a butcher's son, who has made a fortune by investing in industry and railroads and is only marginally accepted by The Polite Society. He's also Annabelle's most intriguing and persistent admirer, who has made clear that he's willing to offer everything, other than marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition... but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction. Annabelle attempts to trap a moneyed aristocrat into marriage--with the help of her vivacious fellow Wallflowers. But on one summer night, situation brings the two of them to altar ... and Annabelle discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.The scenes involving Annabelle and the three other Wallflowers, two sassy and smart-mouthed American girls and a timid, stuttering English heiress, are almost as enjoyable as the ones in which Annabelle and Simon try to outmaneuver each other. 

But my favorite thing about this book is that the book doesn't end when Simon and Annabelle wind up at the altar. It goes deeper touching on Annabelle's changing mindset (specifically, her growing admiration of Simon's working-class roots and her acceptance of everything he stands for) and Simon's insecurity over taking her away from polite society. A definite keeper!

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A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught

Rating: A+

Setting: Medieval

Hero: Royce Westmoreland

Heroine: Jennifer Merrick

Since it's my first post of this blog, I decided to start with my most favorite romance novel of all times -- A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught. Its one of my earlier reads but it was stood the test of time and the competition of all those romances out there. Although I have to admit I resisited reading this book for a long time. After all, not all girls wants to read about a hero who is rumored to drink the blood of the prisoners he took! A note to those blurb-writers -- please don't down-grade some wonderful books with such blurbs. Anyways, I was getting addicted to Judith McNaught in those days and since A Kingdom of Dreams was the only book by Judith McNaught available in my book store, so I bought it just for the sake of reading a Judith McNaught book. How wrong I was! I was hooked from page one and this book has ever since held a very special place in my heart. 

A Kingdom of Dreams is set against a grand and epic medieval backdrop, fueled by conflicts between country and family, filled with vibrant secondary characters, and of course led by a powerful hero (Royce Westmoreland) and heroine (Jennifer Merrick) - both of whom compelling in their own right but together one heck of a team. This book is the stuff that romance legends are made of. I love, love, love how Royce and Jenny slowly learn about each other, two enemies whose initial awkward and reluctant connection gradually evolves to one of understanding, acceptance, and ultimately, love. I love how they give themselves so selflessly for the happiness of the other - Royce sacrifices his life for her on the battlefield, Jenny sacrifices her family and country for him. 

The ending of A Kingdom of Dreams is the most complete and fulfilling I've ever read. I have many other favorite romance reads, but this book just swept across the board for me. It makes one believe in the magic of soulmates. I would give this story 5 stars. An absolute wonderful read, with heart-tugging and gut-wrenching scenes. And the ending would bring tears to the eyes of the most cynical of readers (or at least a gut twist). This story will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you fall in love all over again.

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