Category / HarperCollins Publishers

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Format: E-book
Read with: Google Chrome
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Hero: Alex Markov
Heroine: Daisy Devreaux
Date of Publication: February 1, 1996
Started On: December 19, 2009
Finished On: December 19, 2009

This is the third time I have read this book, and I would have to say that the story of Alex and Daisy never gets old. Its a beautiful love story with a strong cast of characters, each playing a vital role to make this story a worthwhile read.

Alex Markov was rescued by Daisy’s father Max when he was twelve years old from the constant physical abuse he was facing under his uncle Sergey. Max had bought Alex from his uncle and seen to his education. Alex had shaped into a cold, aloof man who has a strong sense of honor and pride which he holds onto with his life.

Daisy is the direct opposite of Alex. An illegitimate child, the only mistake her diplomat father had made in his entire life, Daisy had lived her whole life trying to gain the approval of a father who has never really seen what a remarkable woman Daisy had turned into, regardless of the promiscuous lifestyle  Daisy’s beautiful mother had subjected her to. Vulnerable, kind and easy going to a fault, Daisy’s father considers her to be a fluffy scatterbrained individual whom he arranges to be married to Alex for a period of six months. Broke without a dollar to her name, Daisy has no choice but to go ahead with the marriage or face prison for maxing out her credit cards and finding all the creditors after her, the result of shopping extravagantly to make up for the profound sense of loneliness she has been feeling since her mother died.

Alex thinks no better of Daisy than her father and vows to give her a fair chance to work through the temporary arrangement which Alex has agreed to with Max. Alex introduces Daisy to the life of living and working in a circus, and for someone like Daisy who has a perpetual fear of animals this doesn’t prove to be an easy feat. With a husband who doesn’t want to have to do anything with her except grudgingly acknowledge the intense feelings of passion that Daisy is able to arouse in him, Daisy finds herself unprepared for what is about to hit her.

Alex doesn’t trust his wife one bit and when she is framed as a thief, Alex serves her with the sentence of cleaning up the muck of the animal stalls at the circus. Daisy proves she has a backbone of steel when with determination she surpasses everyone’s expectations of her by sticking to her punishment regardless of the fact she is innocent of the crime.

Regardless of the cold layer of indifference Alex tries to put up with, he soon finds himself intrigued with his new wife, whilst Daisy slowly teaches Alex how to care, love and share with his better half.

Things get interesting when Daisy gets pregnant, something which Alex had made Daisy swear she would take all the necessary precautions against. In a moment of anger, Alex loses the woman he only realizes too late that he has fallen for, and the lengths Alex has to go through to win Daisy’s love back would touch any romantics heart.

The author is known for her talent in weaving a romantic tale filled with laugh aloud moments together with moments of intense passion that makes this book one worth re-reading from time to time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance. Am sure that you wouldn’t be disappointed!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | AbeBooks | BooksOnBoard

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer

Format: E-bookMorning Glory
Read with: Stanza
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Hero: Will
Heroine: Elly
Date of Publication: January 1, 1991
Started On:  October 29, 2009
Finished On: October 30, 2009

The first book that I ever read from this author and it proved to be a real satisfying read. The story takes place during the World War II period in the US. Elly was labeled as the crazy one and the town folk didn’t care much for her. Her husband dead, with two kids and one more on the way, she advertises for a husband in the local newspaper.

Will was a drifter who walked into the town looking for a job, after serving time for murder. Answering the ad for a husband, Will never thought that his life would forever be changed by Elly and her children, who give Will something to live for in life.

This story is really sweet, because you can feel both characters develop throughout the novel. Both Elly and Will had given up hope that they would one day be loved by someone like the love described in the novel. The novel was a refreshing change because there were no silly problems that went unresolved because the hero and heroine couldn’t bear to talk honestly with one another. All in all, a real good romance novel, packed with a whole lot of emotions that romance lovers would find themselves reading this book in one go.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Stranger in My Arms by Lisa Kleypas

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Hero: Hunter Hawksworth
Heroine: Lara Hawksworth
First Published on: July 1, 1998
Started On: July 2009
Finished On: August 16, 2009

Historical romances aren’t my favorite kind of romance. The elaborate descriptions of the amount of clothing a ‘lady’ has to put on to feel suffocated (enough to make the reader stop reading and come up for air) and the so called ‘ton’ which every historical author raves about in their books just doesn’t do it for me most of the times. However, as there are exceptions to every rule man-made or otherwise, I do enjoy historical romances by certain authors such as Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood and Lisa Kleypas.

Stranger in my arms starts off when Lara Hawksworth gets the news that her husband who was believed to  have been killed on a shipwreck almost a year ago was back from the dead. Unable to believe that her husband (Hunter), with whom she had never enjoyed being married to is back, but duty bound to check out whether the news could be true finds Lara with a man who has an uncanny resemblance to Hunter. But this version of her husband seems to be kinder, more attentive, more loving and oh so deliciously sensual that Lara cannot truly believe that this man could be her husband. However, slowly ‘Hunter’ seduces his ‘miss goody-two-shoes’ wife which seduces the reader along on this wicked ride. In the end, this new ‘Hunter’ turns out to be the half-brother of the actual Hunter Hawksworth, whom Lara finally saves from being sent to the gallows for deceiving the entire family about his identity.

I loved reading every bit about this new Hunter. He was deliciously sinful, the kind of hero that you can really dream about (yeah that’s the whole reason why we ladies tend to read romance  novels). I sometimes found myself irritated with Lara though for being such a goody-two-shoes at times that she just tended to get on my nerves during the first half of the novel.

I recommend this for all Lisa Kleypas book lovers.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Half.com | Abebooks

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Where Rainbows End By Cecelia Ahern

Format: Paperback
Opens with: NA
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Series: Standalone
Hero: Alex
Heroine: Rosie
Published On: November 2004
Read on: July 25, 2009

This book from the author of P.S. I love you is a sweet read that clutches at your heart. Totally different from other styles of writing, this story is told in the forms of correspondences that take place between the main characters in the story.

Rosie and Alex are childhood friends who grow up together till Alex has to move away due to his father getting a better job offer in US. However, Rosie’s and Alex’s friendship does not grow weaker, instead they seem to develop feelings for each other which does not reach a fruitful conclusion till the very end of the novel by which time Alex and Rosie are in their 50’s and a whole lifetime has passed without them being together.

Rosie survives a teenage pregnancy, brings her daughter up all by herself, gets married and gets cheated on by her husband who cheats her out of the chance of finding out that Alex too did have feelings for her. Alex too survives two marriages and two kids before they both find each other.

Notes scribbled in class, SMS text messages, emails, letters and postcards make up this whole novel. I would recommend this for all true romance lovers out there!

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks

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