Love Saves the World: robyn dehart

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Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Blog Tour: Undercover with the Earl by Robyn deHart (Review + Giveaway)

Love Saves the World is pleased to participate in Robyn deHart's blog tour for her latest book, Undercover with the Earl, the first book in her Brotherhood of the Sword series.

To celebrate, Robyn will be hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway for:
Grand Prize: $25.00 eGift Card to Choice Book Retailer (Amazon, B&N or iTunes)
First Prize: Gifted Ebook Copies of the Forbidden Love Series; A Little Bit Wicked, A Little Bit Sinful and A Little Bit Scandalous
Second Prize: Gifted Ebook Copies of the Masquerading Mistresses Series of novellas; No Ordinary Mistress, For Her Spy Only and Misadventures in Seduction

To drop by Robyn's other stops, and find out more about the book, click here.

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About the book:

London, 1838

The handsome Earl of Summersby may just be the most eligible bachelor in London, but has no interest in a wife. As a member of the Brotherhood, Bennett Haile is far more vested in his undercover duties for the crown and protecting the Queen from would-be assassins. For now he has the perfect tool with which to lure out the villains -- a young woman with an uncanny likeness to the queen.

The spirited Evelyn Marington is about to live out every country girl's dream -- becoming royalty overnight. Under the tutelage of the arrogant Earl of Summersby, she'll have to fool the entire court that she is, in fact, the queen. But as danger threatens from every side, Bennett realizes that his lovely little protegé isn't just placing her life in his hands ... She's stealing his heart.

Buy Links for this book:
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
iTunes

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My review:

I've always thought Robyn deHart had a talent for romance and mystery, and she showcases this in Undercover with the Earl. Evelyn Marrington has been recruited to masquerade as the young Queen Victoria, as Her Majesty recuperates from an injury -- and it is Bennett Haile, the Earl of Somersby, who is tasked to escort and instruct Evie to act like the Queen.

What I really enjoyed about deHart's novel is how it introduces the Brotherhood of the Sword, the Custos a Vesica, which has a long, and deeply-rooted history of protecting the monarch. They remind me a bit of the musketeers of France, whose job it was to protect the ruling king or queen. What makes the Custos a Vesica more fascinating is that, part of their job, is to train the present monarch in the arts of self-defense. (I would've loved to see Queen Victoria in action. ^_^)

The initial job, which Evie was recruited for was simple enough -- to make an appearance at an Opera -- but, nothing is ever simple where the young Queen is involved, and Evie is asked to do more than what she signed on for. I really enjoyed this insight into England during the reign of the young Queen Victoria -- and I felt a bit sorry for her, as she tried to prove her ability and worth to her people. She could not even publicise her ankle injury, for fear that it would reflect on her strength as Queen. And Evie, poor Evie, who lived a quiet life in the country -- gets to see first hand how difficult -- and dangerous -- it is to be Queen.

"Our allegiance, in case you have forgotten, is to the crown, and right now that is Her Majesty, Queen Victoria," Potterfield said. "This girl is nothing more than a servant doing a task. She is disposable, if necessary."

Bennett wanted to hit him, but he held his temper in check.

"She could have been killed."

"Better her than the queen," Potterfield said plainly.
- loc 1180

What is great about Evie is how she chooses not to be overpowered by Bennett or overwhelmed by her situation -- at all times, she keeps a level head and a calm demeanor.

"My Lord, I realize that you an Earl and of relation to our Queen, and our Society deems you more important than I. Perhaps they are even correct. However, it would seem to me that you," she jabbed a finger into his chest, "need me more than I need you for this assignment. Thus far you have insulted my family, the way I walk, and my hair. You are arrogant and rude and sorely lacking in manners."
- loc 627

Then there is the difficulty of getting along with Bennett Haile, who has been burned in his previous relationship -- Bennett is understandably wary of women -- his former fiancee was a money-grubbing, social-climbing shrew, and Bennett did the gentlemanly thing of accepting the blame for their failed engagement. When Gwyneth re-enters Bennett's life, and makes some very serious threats, I was intrigued -- and would've loved to see our hero handle this person from his past, who now threatens his future.

Another complication comes in the form of Philip Wells, the Earl of Morton -- a member of the Brotherhood, and Gwyneth's husband. In contrast to Bennett, Philip is charming and kind to Evie -- and I was so, so worried that Evie might fall prey to his charms.

Overall, this was a great introduction to a new series. I'm especially curious about Adrian Winthrop, Marquis of St Giles, who appears in the latter part of the book. ^_^

Disclosure: I received this book from Netgalley. Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Robyn deHart for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.

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About the author:

National Bestselling author, Robyn DeHart's novels have appeared in the top bestselling romance and historical romance lists. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages. Her historical romantic adventure series, The Legend Hunters, were not only bestsellers, but also award-winners, snagging a Reader's Crown and a Reviewer's Choice award. She had three releases in 2013 and 2014 will see four more, all set in the popular historical romance Regency and Victorian eras. Known for her "strong dialogue and characters that leap off the page" (RT Bookclub) and her "sizzling romance" (Publishers Weekly), her books have been featured in USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. A popular writing instructor, she has given speeches at writing conferences in Los Angeles, DC, New York, Dallas, Nashville and Toronto, among many others.

When not writing, you can find Robyn hanging out with her family, husband (The Professor) a university professor of Political Science and their two ridiculously beautiful and smart daughters, Busybee and Babybee as well as two spoiled-rotten cats. They live in the hill country of Texas where it's hot eight months of the year, but those big blue skies make it worth it. Sign up for Robyn's newsletter www.robyndehart.com/newsletter/

Find Robyn at:
Website
Facebook
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Goodreads
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Giveaway!

To celebrate, Robyn will be hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway for:
Grand Prize: $25.00 eGift Card to Choice Book Retailer (Amazon, B&N or iTunes)
First Prize: Gifted Ebook Copies of the Forbidden Love Series; A Little Bit Wicked, A Little Bit Sinful and A Little Bit Scandalous
Second Prize: Gifted Ebook Copies of the Masquerading Mistresses Series of novellas; No Ordinary Mistress, For Her Spy Only and Misadventures in Seduction

To drop by Robyn's other stops, and find out more about the book, click here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, May 16, 2014

Review: The Temptations of Anna Jacobs by Robyn deHart

Click here to buy the book on Amazon
Drew Foster has been released from prison, no longer the prime suspect of Scotland Yard, but, while Drew is a free man, he is not free of the whispers of society, who still believes he is guilty of being Jack the Ripper. Eager to prove his innocence, he accepts Scotland Yard's offer to take on the Ripper case -- knowing that there is a link between him and the real Jack the Ripper; knowing there is a reason why the Ripper chose to frame him.

Anna is Simon Jacob's sister and is a student at the Women's Doctors Hospital. She didn't like Drew the first time she met him, believing him to be arrogant, but, with Simon being sent to Scotland for an assignment (really a punishment for not catching the real Ripper), Drew turned to her for counsel and assistance with the case.

He might possess the most astonishing good looks she had ever encountered, but physical perfection meant nothing. He was merely a man. A rude and terrible man who had let down her brother ...
- Chapter 1

This is the second book in Robyn deHart's Dangerous Liaisons/Jack the Ripper series and focus turns to Drew, who was arrested on suspicion for being The Ripper and now has to prove his innocence to society -- who know him as a drunk and dissolute lord, but Drew has changed. His stay in prison has showed him the error of his ways, but it is still an uphill battle to gain the world's acceptance of him. One way for him to hasten this is to catch the actual Ripper.

I will admit that I read this story more for the Jack the Ripper mystery than for the romance. It is fascinating how deHart has taken fixed points in Ripper history and added her own interpretation of it. I especially enjoyed her theory of the copycat Ripper and who she thought it would be. (It could be true...)

She provides more clues to Jack the Ripper:
1. He is a gentleman. Maybe a lord. With an estate in Scotland.
2. He is connected to the Queen of England.
3. He seems to have some medical training because of the very precise way he murdered those women (but he isn't a doctor).
4. He wasn't acquainted with the copycat and was actually annoyed that he was being copied.

I loved Anna as a heroine. She was part of a group of women who were ahead of their time, studying to be doctors -- and Anna possessed a great talent for it, which Drew needed as he tried to interpret the clues that the Ripper left behind.

Beyond the focus on the Ripper, this is also Drew's story of redemption, and I loved that the author doesn't sugar-coat or gloss over it, but, instead, gives us a glimpse inside the mind and heart of a man who continues to struggle with his addiction. It is heroic the way Drew tries to control his urges and it is heroic how Drew tries to face society -- a society that still believes he is guilty.

He would have liked a drink. But that would only prove Anna Jacobs's low opinion of him, for he was sure he had not impressed her. She, on the other hand, had impressed him, mightily.
- Chapter 1

* * *

It would be in the newspapers by now. Jack the Ripper's return. All the while Drew was free on the streets, and he wondered if people would once again believe it was him who was slicing up those poor girls.
- Chapter 7

Anna and Drew work well together, despite her initial reservations. Drew isn't ashamed to admit if he needs help and isn't too proud to seek Anna's assistance, though I worried for Anna's safety a few times... I like that love grows gradually between them and seems to be rooted in admiration and mutual respect --

Is this a romance story with a bit of Jack the Ripper or is this a Jack the Ripper story with a bit of romance? I think it's tricky to balance something as massive and loaded as Jack the Ripper with a love story and, it was great that deHart decided not to force the issue and allowed the love story to be a subtle thing. The contrast accomplished its purpose and both stories were able to thrive side by side, without overpowering each other. My one problem with this story is how the love story ended: it seemed a bit abrupt and happens at a very strange time (Chapter 31). When it was resolved, I got the impression that the investigation that was once their top priority was all but forgotten.

Still, this was a very engrossing mystery and my question still stands: will deHart reveal who she believes was Jack the Ripper? Can't wait for the next installment!

To find out more about Robyn deHart and her books, click below:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Blog Tour: The Secrets of Mia Danvers by Robyn DeHart (Review + Giveaway)

I'm so, so pleased to welcome Robyn DeHart to Love Saves the World. Robyn is currently promoting her new book, The Secrets of Mia Danvers, the first book in her Dangerous Liaisons series.

Robyn DeHart will be giving away winner's choice of the following:

Amazon Paperwhite or

Nook Glow or

$120 Gift Card for Amazon or Barnes & Noble

To visit Robyn's other stops, click here.

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About the book --

Blurb:

A lone witness finds her protector...

Since losing her sight in a childhood accident, Mia Danvers has resided in a small cottage on the vast Carrington estate. Thought to be dead, Mia lives a life of virtual seclusion -- until one night, while walking home, she happens upon a horrendous crime.

Alex Foster, Eighth Duke of Carrington, lives according to society’s expectations for him. He’s never met the woman who lives in the cottage at the edge of his property. But when she arrives at his door in the pouring rain terrified and claiming she has witnessed a murder, she seizes his attention.

Mia is determined to help the authorities track down the culprit, even though the only person willing to accept her aid is the handsome, arrogant duke. Working closely together proves difficult as Mia’s beauty and independence tempts Alex to ignore convention and follow his desire. But what neither of them know is that this murderer has struck before in Whitechapel, taunting the British press only to vanish—a ruthless killer who knows that Mia is the only living witness to his crime ...

Purchase links:

Kindle

Nook

iTunes

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My review:

Thought to be dead, Mia Danvers, the youngest daughter of an earl, has lived quietly with her companion on the edge of the Duke of Carrington's estate. When she was brought to the cottage by her mother nine years ago, she was told never to be a burden or a bother to the duke's family -- and Mia has abided by these rules.

Until Mia witnesses a gruesome murder on the Carrington estates and Mia has no choice but to approach the duke for help.

Alex was never supposed to be the Duke but his brother's untimely death has forced Alex into the forefront, taking on the responsibilities of the dukedom and as head of the Carrington family. The first thing he must do is abate the scandal surrounding his brother's death -- and to do so, Alex must marry well -- and the perfect wife has already been chosen for him.

When Mia arrives at his doorstep, he is surprised to discover that his family's unwanted/overstaying guest isn't mad as his mother had said she was and is in fact, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful and clear-minded people Alex has ever met in his life, but the news Mia brings is unwelcome, threatening to bring an even bigger scandal that would truly ruin the Carrington name.

A servant of the Carrington household is found murdered, her body cut open. Is this the work of Jack the Ripper? But he has been quiet lately and Mayfair is worlds away from Whitechapel. When more women turn up dead and, when Alex's brother, Drew, becomes the prime suspect, Alex does everything he can, including trusting Mia, to protect his family.

There are two reasons why this book is unputdownable: (1)Robyn deHart's spin on the Jack the Ripper mythos and (2) the love story between Mia and Alex.

Robyn DeHart has written about mysteries in her Ladies' Amateur Sleuth Society series and I remember reading that series and enjoying deHart's gift for weaving in romance with investigations and detective work. With her new series, deHart is taking on mysteries once again -- but, not just any mystery, she has decided to frame her new series with one of the greatest mysteries of the 19th century: Jack the Ripper.

DeHart contributes to the body of Jack the Ripper fiction by writing about new murders that happened during the lull in Jack the Ripper's killing spree in 1889. It's also interesting that she has moved the setting of the murders to Mayfair.

In fiction, the Ripper is a captivating character and DeHart gives him a very sinister persona and voice.

The Ripper was waiting.

He picked up his pace, the girl looked behind her shoulder at him, then turned back to the front and sped up. He would catch her. She was a petite little thing and her stride would have nothing on his. He proved that very thing when he caught up with her in three long steps.

"Where are you going so quickly?" he asked.
- p. 184

Here's what we know about DeHart's Jack the Ripper:
1. He is either a gentleman or a lord, definitely someone who belongs in aristocratic circles and moves around easily in society.
2. He smokes and he whistles.
3. He is angry that there are witnesses (Mia is one of them) and vows to silence them.

Will Robyn DeHart eventually name her suspect? How will she resolve the Jack the Ripper mystery? I'm definitely following this series to find out. ^_^

Then there is the love story between Alex and Mia.

What begins between Alex and Mia is something of an anti-love story. Neither one wants to be involved in the other but there is an undeniable chemistry between them.

Alex is set to marry his older brother's intended, Juliet, who is a very a good match from a very proper family. It is a marriage that will secure the Carrington name and keep them out of the scandal sheets. Before Alex met Mia, he was already in the midst of courting Juliet and was very close to making a formal offer.

Mia is happy with her life as it is, though she would wish she had more money to pay Rachel. When she approached Alex, all she wanted to do was to report the incident and inform him that she would cooperate with the investigation. I love how Mia bristles when Alex kept calling her back to the main house for further questions because she had expected to work with the authorities and not with Alex, but because of Drew is the main suspect, Alex has no choice but to follow the same leads, hoping they would lead to a different person.

I also love that Mia wasn't dazzled by Alex's title or wealth. She never dreamed to be whisked off from her simple life and made queen of the universe. It is very telling that, even when she had moved to Alex's house, she never once requested for better clothes for herself and continued to wear her very drab, very itchy woolen gowns. I consider her an anti-Cinderella -- she doesn't need Prince Charming to whisk her away and give her a better life because she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

"I have to keep you out of harm's way," he argued.

"No, you don't." Though she longed for him to continue to do so. Did that make her weak? Ultimately she knew that if he did pawn her off on her sisters, it was likely she'd never be near him again. And that, for reasons she didn't care to examine, scared the hell out of her.

"If I don't, who will?" he countered.

"I will. I've lived on my own, with nothing but the assistance of Rachel and we've managed quite nicely without you or my sisters." She stepped over to where she knew he still sat. Without another thought she reached out and jammed her finger into his solid chest. Whether she craved his protection or not, she'd be damned if he'd treat her as some sort of invalid. "What gives you the right to think you can order me about? Simply because you've inherited some prestigious title and now everyone around is to bow to your every whim? Well, let me tell you one thing, Alex Foster, your title means nothing to me. I'm not impressed by who you are, and I'm most certainly not intimidated. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different than any other man on the street. Well, with the exception that you want to control my life." She stopped talking long enough to realize she was actually winded.
- pp. 144-145

Mia's blindness isn't a disability but an ability for Mia, who is very efficient in navigating the world. Because of her blindness, she was able to get to know the man and not the duke. (And she was not impressed with the duke but she is very, very impressed with Alex, the man.)

When they started their affair, Mia offered herself as purely an expression of her love for Alex. She never set out to entrap him into marriage and she was very realistic about her prospects.

"No one knows."* Mia's entire existence is a secret and she is willing to keep one more secret: her and Alex. I saw this as something sad but, at the same time, amazing. How utterly selfless Mia was -- but, how she balances it all with her courage. She stands up to Alex's mother (read p. 166) and to her sisters and she stood up to her affliction: rather than being defeated by blindness, she worked around it.

This is a book with substance, a book that I see myself re-reading again in the future, a book that I would highly, highly recommend without hesitation.

The Secrets of Mia Danvers is the first book in Robyn DeHart's Dangerous Liaisons series. The second book, The Temptations of Anna Jacobs, will be released in November 2013. Very, very, very excited for it. ^_^

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author for review purposes. Many thanks to Robyn DeHart and InterMix for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.

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About the author:

A life-long love of stories and adventure, it was either become a stuntwoman for the movies or live out those adventures from the safety of her PJ's and computer. Award-winning author, Robyn DeHart chose the latter and couldn't be happier for doing so. Known for her unique plotlines and authentic characters, Robyn is a favorite among readers and reviewers. Publishers' Weekly claims her writing to be "comical and sexy" while the Chicago Tribune dubs her "wonderfully entertaining." Robyn is an award-winning author as well as being a four-time RT Bookclub Reviewers' Choice award nominee, and a three-time RomCon Reader's Crown nominee. Robyn lives in Texas with her brainy husband, two precocious little girls and two spoiled cats. You can find Robyn on-line at her website or at one of her group blogs, the Jaunty Quills or Peanut Butter on the Keyboard.