Tag Archives: Tina Gabrielle

Make Mine a Marquess by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

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Make Mine a Marquess by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

 

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Description:
He lost everything. Now he’s come to take it all back—along with her—in this entrancing romance that’s ideal for fans of Sophie Jordan and Eloisa James.

Everyone thought that the Marquess of Landon was lost at sea. Instead, Robert Kirkian defied all the odds and survived. Now he’s returned to London to reclaim his title, his property, and his lands from the foul snake who tried to have him killed: his own cousin. But proper vengeance requires patience—and the perfect weapon. Which is precisely when Robert meets his cousin’s charmingly spirited betrothed…

Miss Phoebe Dawson is everything an ambitious gentleman could desire in a wife. Wealthy, exceedingly lovely, and with a sparkle in her blue eyes that could entice even the most reluctant suitor. But Phoebe’s come too close to ruin—the humiliation of it!—to be fooled by yet another handsome face and silken words . But oh, how he makes her feel. So flustered, so flushed…and so thrillingly alive.

Phoebe knows that love is a fool’s game, even if the Marquess does play his hand like an expert. Her reputation can nary afford the tiniest spark of scandal, let alone those slow, deep kisses that leave her breathless. But she’s about to discover the only thing more dangerous than a rogue is a wronged man hellbent on revenge…

 

Review:

Make Mine a Marquess begins with Robert Kirkian, Marquess of Landon (who typically goes by Landon), peering inside a ballroom as he stands in the shadows outside. The costume ball is the beginning of a weeks long house party that is being hosted by his cousin, Lord Willard, whom he spots quickly. As Landon steps back into the shadows, Lord Willard and a beautiful blond woman, Miss Phoebe Dawson, step out onto the terrace. After a brief chat, Willard goes back inside as Landon approaches Phoebe. Learning that Phoebe was Willard’s betrothed, Landon approaches her and the two speak for a brief time before Phoebe heads back inside not knowing to whom she had been speaking. All she knows is that the handsome pirate piqued her interest.

The following day, Landon, along with his friend, Aram, approaches the country estate where the house party is being hosted and lifts the brass knocker. The butler answers the door to discover that the true Marquess has returned home after being lost at sea for five years. In Landon’s place, his cousin, Lord Willard, had taken over all that was rightfully Landon’s.

Once Landon makes himself known to those in attendance at the house party, it is hard to say who is more shocked: Lord Willard or Phoebe Dawson, albeit for vastly different reasons. What follows is a cat and mouse game as Landon tries to ferret out the truth of his ship going down and exactly why Phoebe intrigues him so.

Make Mine a Marquess is another wonderfully written tale by Ms. Gabrielle. Her stories draw you in from the beginning and the worlds she creates are easy to see in your mind’s eye. Landon and Phoebe were beautifully written, and their chemistry leapt off the page. The secondary characters were a bonus that gave the story depth. If you are a fan of regency romance novels, you will never go wrong with one of her books. Well done, Tina Gabrielle! Very well done!

Reviewed by Vickie

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How to Best a Marquess by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

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How to Best a Marquess by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

 

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Description:
Lady Ellie Swift learned at an early age that men were more trouble than they’re worth. Now she’s all grown up and is the toast of society. Only she has secret ambitions to run her brother’s infamous gambling establishment—the Raven Club. Everything is progressing as planned until the man who broke her heart, Hugh Vere, the Marquess of Deveril, wants to take over the club. Dark, dominant, and strikingly handsome, Hugh’s reputation for sin precedes him, and suddenly, her dreams—and her heart—are in jeopardy.

As rakish as Hugh appears, he has a sharp mind for business. No one stands in the way of what he wants, not even the fiery-haired beauty from his past. From the moment he sees her again sparks fly, but he knows better than to fall for the lady. According to Ellie, the battle lines have been drawn and Hugh doesn’t stand a chance. But the nearly combustible chemistry between them is hard to ignore, and soon the club is not the only prize he wants…

 

 

Review:

How to Best a Marquess begins with Lady Ellie Swift attending her brother’s infamous gambling establishment – the Raven.  Her brother is getting ready to retire and she wants to be the one to take over the running of the business.  She has already taken over the books for her sister-in-law and knows her way round the club.  She finds herself in the boxing area and is transfixed by what is happening inside the ring.  As she gets closer to the ring, she finds herself in a precarious situation:   one of the fighters, whom she knows, kisses her quickly as she walks by.  Thankfully, all women are required to be masked, so he will have no idea who she is.  A little embarrassed at her reaction to the kiss, she quickly makes her way to another part of the Raven.

Hugh Vere knows that there is only one woman who has hair that particular color:  Ellie Swift.  He has been back in town for a while now, but, hasn’t made any attempt to see her.  He knows that he broke her heart a long time ago and that she will never forgive him.  He has only one thing on his mind – buying the Raven.

A while later, Ellie makes her way to her brother’s office, only to have Hugh arrive as well.  Even though Ellie thought the club would be hers, seems her brother has other ideas.  He makes it a competition between Ellie and Hugh to see who can come up with plans to make the Raven even more prosperous and gives them a time limit.  Whomever does the best gets the Raven.  Ellie is, of course, furious at the turn of events, but lets Hugh know she has no intention to lose to him.  He very quickly informs her he feels the very same way………. Game on.

How to Best a Marquess is a smartly written story of second chance love.  Ellie isn’t your typical Lady and her ambitions are believable.  I love her loyalty to her brother and his wife, but I adored her secret endeavors when it came to helping abused women.  Hugh was well written as well, and it was a relief to read about a male character who wasn’t brooding all of the time.  This one has some different elements that drew me in immediately.  I loved the fact that this story showed women doing something other than what we usually read in historicals, namely, a woman wanting to run a place like the Raven.  I also loved that once Hugh got over his ‘I know what’s best for you’ ways, he was completely open and honest with Ellie about what he wanted………which was for her to be happy.   If you’re a fan of this genre, you’ll truly enjoy How to Best a Marquess.  The chemistry is there, along with a little mystery and a bit of danger and it will pull you in pretty quickly.  Well done, Tina Gabrielle!  Very well done!

Reviewed by Vickie

 

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The Duke Meets His Match by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

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The Duke Meets His Match by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

 

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Description:
The daughter of an infamous art forger, Chloe Somerton grew up poor. Desperate to aid her sisters, she’d picked a pocket…or two. Now circumstances have changed, and Chloe has a chance to marry a young, wealthy lord. Only his mentor—a dark, dangerous duke—stands in her way. The duke knows about her past, and she’ll do anything to keep him from telling.

The moment Michael Keswick, the Duke of Cameron, sees Chloe Somerton, he recognizes her as a fraud. The stunning beauty with sapphire eyes and golden hair now appears to be a proper lady, but he knows better. What begins as a battle of wills soon escalates into a fierce attraction. In Chloe, Michael finds peace from the memories of war, but he refuses to marry…and she won’t settle for anything less.

 

Review:

The Duke Meets His Match begins with Chloe attending a party with her sister, who is bound and determined to play matchmaker for Chloe.  Of course, Chloe had rather make her own match, but appreciates her sister’s interest….most of the time.  As Chloe sets her eyes on a handsome young Earl named Henry, she can’t help but notice Michael Keswick, the Duke of Cameron, who just happens to be Henry’s guardian.  Michael and Henry’s father were in the war together, and only Michael made it home.  Henry’s father took a bullet meant for Michael, which has caused Michael a great deal of guilt.  Once home, he has made it his mission to teach the young Henry about managing his estate and his affairs. 

Once Michael sees Chloe, he immediately recognizes her and knows that there is a shady past that Henry knows nothing about.  He attempts to warn Chloe away from Henry, and call her bluff (if you will).  What he does not expect is Chloe’s reaction.  As their mutual attraction grows, the Duke knows that he has indeed, met his match….

The Duke Meets His Match is a wonderfully written story that has relatable characters.  I love the Somertons, and Chloe is by far my favorite.  Don’t get me wrong, I like the other two books and their heroines, but I LOVED Chloe.  Determined to distance herself from her torturous past, she stands up for herself in a way that will endear herself to everyone who reads her story.  Michael was a bit of a surprise for me.  Yes, he started out as an antagonist whom I couldn’t see myself liking (at all!), only to turn out to be a multi-layered character that I fell in love with.  His reasons for saying he would never marry are actually valid ones, but Chloe being Chloe, makes him see reason.  She also makes him see that asking for help does not make you weak.  The Duke Meets His Match is ultimately a story about pushing past preconceived notions to truly see a person for whom they really are.  If you’re a fan of this genre, you will never go wrong with any of the Somertons’ stories, but this one will make you a true fan of the author.  Well done, Tina Gabrielle!  Very, very well done!

Reviewed by Vickie

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Real Earls Break the Rules by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

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Real Earls Break the Rules by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

 

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Description:
1816 England

Brandon St. Clair, the Earl of Vale, has never been one to follow the rules. Even though he must marry a wealthy heiress so that he can be rid of the pile of debt he inherited with his title, he can’t stop thinking of another. Amelia Somerton is the daughter of a forger and is not a suitable wife. But that doesn’t stop Brandon from making Amelia a different offer, the kind that breaks every rule of etiquette…

Sin runs in Amelia’s family. And even though she now rubs elbows with the aristocracy, she knows the truth—she has the ability to forge priceless works of art. She’ll never be seen as an acceptable wife, not that she wants to marry, anyway. So when the earl scandalously offers her the one thing she’s always dreamed of, she can’t help but take it. But what begins as a simple arrangement, soon escalates into much more, and as the heat between them sizzles, each encounter becomes a lesson in seduction…

 

Review:

Real Earls Break the Rules begins with Amelia’s family being invited to a house party hosted by Brandon St. Clair.  Brandon and Amelia’s brother in law are friends, which led to the invitation, but Brandon has an ulterior motive.  He’s inherited a mountain of debt from his deceased father and needs Amelia’s help.  He knows that Amelia inherited her infamous father’s artistic talents and makes her an offer that she knows she should refuse.  Once he makes her the offer and tells her how it will benefit her, and her artistic talents, she accepts the offer, knowing all too well the ramifications if she’s discovered.  Brandon knows, too, the perceived ramifications if she’s caught, but he is almost desperate to erase the debt he inherited.  His father bought businesses that were bad investments and left them to flounder, leaving Brandon to set things to right and take care of his grandmother and his sisters. 

As Brandon and Amelia set their plan into motion, neither can dismiss their attraction to each other, which started a year before upon a chance meeting.  To add to Brandon’s stress, his grandmother wants him to propose to a spoiled brat, who just happens to be the daughter of a Duke and comes with a large dowry.  The fact that Brandon doesn’t even like the girl doesn’t carry much weight with his grandmother, as it is his responsibility to take care of the family by any means necessary.  Seemingly, someone is sabotaging the one business that he knows can make money:  the textile mill.  With machines breaking down and deplorable working conditions, he makes it his personal mission to turn the flailing business around.  He also makes it his personal mission to make Amelia his……….

Real Earls Break the Rules is an outstanding addition to the Infamous Somerton series.  Amelia fascinated me in the first installment of the series and I knew her story would be awesome.  I love that she stands her ground and is not willing to give up on what SHE wants, and knows she deserves.  She has a big heart and a true artist’s eye.  Brandon, even though I wanted to thumps his ears a couple of times, has a sense of honor that shined through.  His determination to do right by his family, and ultimately Amelia, will endear him to all who read this story.  Real Earls Break the Rules is ultimately a story about setting aside preconceived notions set by society and doing what is truly right, listening to your gut and following your heart.  I honestly can’t wait for the next installment.  (One problem is there are only three Somerton sisters, but I’m hoping she can keep this series going past that.)  There is angst, treachery and a somewhat slow building romance that kept my attention and kept me turning the pages.  If you’re a fan of this genre, you will love this series.  Well done, Tina Gabrielle!  Very, very well done!!!

Reviewed by Vickie

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An Artful Seduction by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

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An Artful Seduction by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

 

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Description:
1815 London

His lust for revenge will be his downfall…

Eliza Somerton has a dangerous secret. As the daughter of the infamous art forger who duped half the ton, she’s rebuilt her life under a new name. But when an old forgery goes up for auction, her father’s enemy, Grayson Montgomery, outbids her and presents her with an unimaginable choice: help him find her father or he’ll ruin her.
For years, Grayson, the Earl of Huntingdon and one of London’s top art critics, has sought justice. His well-laid plans finally come to fruition when he learns of his enemy’s beautiful daughter. But Eliza possesses a sensuality and independent spirit that weakens his resolve, and as the heat between them sizzles, what started as revenge soon blossoms into something sinful…

 

 

Review:

An Artful Seduction begins with Eliza attending an auction with one goal in mind:  buy back piece of forged art that she and her sisters sold when they had nowhere else to turn.  The sisters never thought to see the piece again, but when the piece comes up for auction, Eliza is determined to buy the piece herself so that the forgery will stay hidden.  However, when Grayson Montgomery outbids Eliza, her opportunity is lost.  Or is it?  When Eliza approaches Grayson about buying the painting from him directly, she unknowingly sets into motion a series of events that will change their lives.  Forever.

Grayson soon learns that Eliza is the daughter of the very man he has been hunting and devises a plan that gives her no choice but to go aid him in his quest.  If only she knew what his quest actually was.  As Grayson and Eliza spend more and more time together, he finds himself questioning whether or not he’s doing the right thing by using Eliza to get what he wants.  Once he meets her sisters and sees the close bond they share, he falls even further under her spell, but decides to stay the course to finally get his revenge. 

Eliza figures out what Grayson is really doing, and still goes along with him. She is developing feelings for him as well, but knows there can never be anything between them.  Her father has seen to that by duping so many and leaving them behind before he can be arrested for his crimes.  She’d love to find her father as well, or at least know if he’s dead or alive.  What transpires will leave you jeering and cheering……and turning the pages a little faster.

An Artful Seduction is a wonderfully written tale.  The characters are well written and you will leave the story feeling as you know them.  Eliza is a strong character who has taken care of her sisters since the day her father left them high and dry.  Her sense of loyalty, as well as her determination to make it on her own, will endear her to everyone who reads her story.  Grayson is a bear at first, but you soon learn that he will do anything as well for those he cares about.  The chemistry between the two was palpable and I love the way the author made them both work for a relationship that would be good for all involved.  The secondary characters were well written as well, and I for one cannot wait to read more about them.  If you’re a fan of this genre, there is no way you can go wrong with An Artful Seduction.  Well done, Tina Gabrielle!


Reviewed by Vickie

Copy provided by Publisher

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At the Spy’s Pleasure by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

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At the Spy’s Pleasure by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

 

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Description:
Every gentleman has his secrets…

London 1821

After years of marriage to a selfish man who preferred gambling to his young bride, Jane, the widowed countess of Stanwell, now seeks what she was long denied-a satisfying lover. Naturally, a lady needs a list of eligible candidates, which doesn’t include the dangerously handsome (if far too arrogant) Gareth Ramsey…until he steals a sinful kiss from Jane’s all-too-willing lips.

Reputed as an arrogant barrister, Gareth’s real occupation is as a spy in the service of His Majesty, and his suspect is on Jane’s list of possible lovers. With her life in danger, there’s no safer place for Jane than with him-and in his bed. But Jane is as distracting as she is infuriating, and keeping her by his side while he pursues his mission might just endanger them both…





Review;

Tina Gabrielle has done it again. At the Spy’s Pleasure is book 2 of her In the Crown’s Secret Service series and is just as intriguing a read as her first book A Spy Unmasked. I’m really enjoying this series by Tina for the way she writes, creates her characters, builds a world filled with mystery, intrigue, danger, suspense, and keeps me turning page after page waiting to see what’s going to happen next.

We first met both Jane and Gareth in the first book, but they played the roles of secondary characters and had little interaction with each other. However, even though their interaction was brief, you could feel something brewing between. What was brewing between Jane and Gareth in the first book carries over into At the Spy’s Pleasure and goes from brewing, to percolating, to smoldering. Ms. Gabrielle writes a very steamy and passionate romance for these two would be lovers and I adored every minute. Jane and Gareth are not only passionate, but fun and playful with each other and also understand one another very well. They are very well matched, but both refuse to see just how perfect they are together until it’s almost too late. Watching their relationship grow and seeing their feelings change for one another as Gareth continues his mission, makes the reader wonder what will happen should Jane find out the truth. Like any well written romantic story, the lady love always finds out the truth and then the fun really begins.

I quite enjoyed both Gareth and Jane. Each are well written, developed characters who were able to carry the story all on their own. However, we do have a supporting cast who aid the reader in learning more about our couple. Gareth had my toes curling and me swooning from his first scene. He’s the type of character that has that commanding presence that makes one stand up and take notice. He’s handsome, intelligent, well versed, charming, knows how to treat a lady, and has a dangerous and mysterious job. Who wouldn’t fall for a man like that. Plus, on top of all that, as I read this story, Gareth’s voice to me was that deep sexy baritone range that had me sighing every time he spoke to Jane. His voice reminded me of someone in a tv show or movie but for the life of me I can’t place which male actor it is. I shall keep thinking and get back to you when it comes to me.

As for Jane, she’s a treat of a character for an historical romance. I like that she’s not our typical lady of the times, but instead has decided to take command of her own life and do with it as she pleases and not what society dictates she should do. Deciding she wants to take on lovers after what she endured first from her husband and then after his suicide is fun to watch. I enjoyed the scene where she’s at a ball and scoping out possible lovers. It reminded me of my younger days going to the bars and scoping out the guys. The scene had me LOL as she talked about her possibilities with her friend. Oh the things we do when in come’s to the opposite sex. 😉

I’d say Tina Gabrielle has another hit on her hands. At the Spy’s Pleasure is a fun, passionate and very steamy read. Gareth and Jane pull the reader into their story, and keep your interest to the very end. The cast of secondary characters helps to add another layer to their story and give us more insight into our hero and heroine. Ms. Gabrielle seems to have a knack for the historical romance genre and proves it to us once again. She manages to always make me feel as though I’m a part of the cast playing the part of voyeur who is privy to secretive information, and is just waiting to see when the others will find out what I already know. I can’t wait for Tina to continue with this series, fingers crossed that she will.

Until then, happy reading everyone.

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Publisher

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A Spy Unmasked by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

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A Spy Unmasked by Tina Gabrielle – a Review

 

A Spy Unmasked new

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Description:
London, 1820 The mission did not go quite as Robert Ware–known in society as the new Earl of Kirkland–planned. A spy in the service of His Majesty, Robert is a “guest” at a masquerade party as he retrieves vital information for a murder investigation. Until he’s quite unexpectedly interrupted by an exquisite, masked woman with glittering green eyes. And a pistol she has cocked and aimed right at him… Lady Sophia Merrill has defiantly taken up justice’s shining sword, determined to expose the brigand who murdered her eccentric but brilliant father, and stole his latest invention. Now she must masquerade as Robert’s betrothed in order to infiltrate the Inventor’s Society and find the killer. But the undeniable potent attraction between them not only imperils the investigation, but Sophia’s reputation… and both of their lives.

Review:

A Spy Unmasked by Tina Gabrielle is the first book in her In the Crown’s Secret Service series. Having never read anything by Ms. Gabrielle before, I was very happy that I had the chance to read this one. I quite enjoyed it and was pulled into the story from the very first chapter. A Spy Unmasked is filled with intrigue, suspense, danger, and a very hot romance. The characters are well developed, move the story along at a steady quick pace and leave the reader turning page after page waiting to see what will happen next. It would seem Tina Gabrielle has a special knack for allowing the reader to feel like they are part of the story, because I actually felt like I was watching one of those old Spy movies on my tv well I read this one. By the end of the book I was on pins and needles waiting to see if our hero and heroine would get out of the danger they find themselves in and make it to their HEA.

I think the biggest thing for me with A Spy Unmasked that really drew me in were the hero and heroine. Both are well written, developed and each brought a special flare to the development of the story and their romance. It was very refreshing to see that our heroine, Sophie Merrill isn’t your typical lady of the time. She’s feisty, independent, intelligent, not afraid of jumping into a tricky situation and also not afraid of going after her man even though he’s in a dangerous profession. I liked how she accepted him for who and what he is, no matter what he’s done on the job for his country. It was also fun to watch her fluster our ever dangerous and sexy spy Robert Ware. Robert Ware is the type of hero I enjoy reading about. He’s strong, intelligent, mysterious and cunning on the job, knows how to take control of a sticky situation when the need arises, sexy and charming as all get out, but for some unexplained reason, he can’t seem to keep his mind off his fake fiancée. When it comes to Sophia, Robert’s control and common sense fly right out the window. The sexual chemistry between Robert and Sophia is combustible and felt from their first meeting. How the pages didn’t catch on fire as Ms. Gabrielle wrote their romance is beyond me. Robert and Sophia’s romance is slow to build as he keeps trying to keep her at arms length, but the sexual chemistry between them is there simmering between them just waiting to break free in every scene they are in. Ms. Gabrielle does an exquisite job of writing this romance and weaving it into the danger and intrigue that follows our couple throughout the story.

After reading A Spy Unmasked I think it’s safe to say I’ve become a fan of Tina Gabrielle and her In the Crown’s Secret Service series. I’m anxiously awaiting the second book in this series and hope it’s about Robert’s friend Gareth and Sophia’s cousin Lady Jane. There’s definitely something there with those two. If you are a fan of historical romances, along with spies, espionage, intrigue, danger, suspense and a good old fashioned steamy romance, then this one’s for you. It won’t disappoint I promise.

Until next time, happy reading!!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Publisher

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