Sherry Thomas, Private Arrangements

Blurb: To all of London society, Lord and Lady Tremaine had the ideal arrangement: a marriage based on civility, courteousness, freedom—and living on separate continents.
But once upon a time, things were quite different for the Tremaines…When Gigi Rowland first laid eyes on Camden Saybrook, Lord Tremaine, the attraction was immediate and overwhelming: she simply had to have him. But what began in a spark of passion ended in betrayal the morning after their wedding—and Gigi wants to be free to marry again. Now Camden has returned from America with an outrageous demand—an heir—in exchange for Gigi’s freedom.
Gigi's decision will have consequences she never imagined, as secrets are exposed, desire is rekindled—and one of London’s most admired couples must either fall in love all over again…or let each other go forever.
The book had so much potential, 4 out of 5 disappointing

Animal Instincts, By Gena Showalter

Blub from booklist: After her husband's betrayal, event planner Naomi Delacroix is getting in touch with her inner tigress and trying to go from doormat to Rambo. Wealthy businessman Royce Powell, the most eligible bachelor in Dallas, has loved Naomi ever since he saw her at a party she put together. Now Royce has hired her as the planner for his mother's extravagant birthday event. His demand that she work only for him during this period guarantees some quality time together. Royce is handsome, attentive, and romantic--in other words, the perfect man. However, Naomi's experiences with a fickle father and a philandering husband make her doubt Royce and his intentions. Secondary characters, including Naomi's twin cousins, the cleverly named Kera and Mel, add many humorous moments. Although the subtext, learn to trust, is a serious one, Showalter writes with a sparkling humor that keeps the story light without losing poignancy
A little disappointed 4 out of 5

Gena Showalter, To Catch a Mate

Blurb:Jillian Greene is always getting caught in the act—it's her job! Working at Catch A Mate, Jillian gets paid by suspicious wives to smile, flirt and prove that no man can be trusted around the opposite sex. Her only ground rule? She never gets physical. Until a heart-stoppingly gorgeous male walks in…

Marcus Brody has just been hired as bait to test female fidelity. But the last thing Jillian needs is a partner…especially an infuriating, irresistible man who's got her fantasizing about tearing off his clothes.
Book is so much more than decribed. 5 out of 5 a hot keeper

Sherry Thomas, Not Quite a Husband

Blurb: Their marriage lasted only slightly longer than the honeymoon—to no one’s surprise, not even Bryony Asquith's. A man as talented, handsome, and sought after by society as Leo Marsden couldn't possibly want to spend his entire life with a woman who rebelled against propriety by becoming a doctor. Why, then, three years after their annulment and half a world away, does he track her down at her clinic in the remotest corner of India?

Leo has no reason to think Bryony could ever forgive him for the way he treated her, but he won't rest until he’s delivered an urgent message from her sister—and fulfilled his duty by escorting her safely back to England. But as they risk their lives for each other on the journey home, will the biggest danger be the treacherous war around them—or their rekindling passion?
Great characters 4 out of 5

Jenna Petersen,

Blurb: Blackmailed into a marriage five years ago, and forced by their overbearing families to consummate that union so it could never be legally questioned, Victoria and Justin Talbot have been more than happy to live apart ever since, although neither one has quite forgotten the one night they shared.
But now Victoria has been forced to come to London in the disguise of London’s most talented and sought after courtesan. Invading Justin’s world, she is on a desperate search to find a missing friend and stay clear of her very angry, suddenly possessive husband. Only this time, one taste is not going to be enough for Justin. He is determined not only to uncover Victoria’s secrets, but to claim her, body and soul.
4.5 out of 5 a keeper, hot

Additions to my reading pile.

For want of a crown its towns were plundered and torched, its women raped and slaughtered, its men used as fodder for transitory victories.
This was England from 1135 to 1154. For nineteen years two royal rivals -- one intent on retaining his ill-gained crown, the other demanding it as the rightful heir -- waged a violent, bloody war against each other.
Blurb from Authors website.





The long-awaited sequel to Sharon Kay Penman's acclaimed novel When Christ and His Saints Slept, Time and Chance recounts the tempestuous marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II in a magnificent story of love, power, ambition-and betrayal.
Blurb from authors website.

The mad bad Duke, By Jennifer Ashley

Blurb: Historical paranormal
Meagan Tavistock can easily see how Alexander earned the nickname Mad, Bad Duke. His deep blue eyes promise sinful pleasure and his rich voice intimates that as soon as they are skin to skin, he’ll fulfill desires she isn’t even aware of. When a love spell misses its intended target, Meagan can no longer resist the temptation...until the magic wears off, leaving the pair in a most compromising position. Their only option is a marriage that thrusts Meagan into a new world of high danger, dark secrets, and a passion so intense she can’t help wondering: Is it the lingering power of the spell or true love at last?
Read it one night very hot 4.5 out of 5

Mistress In the Art of Death, By Ariana Franklin

Synopsis

In medieval Cambridge, four children have been murdered. The Catholic townsfolk blame their Jewish neighbors, so to save them from the rioting mob, the Cambridge Jews are placed under the protection of the king. King Henry II is no friend of the Jews-or anyone, really-but he believes in law and order, and he desperately needs the taxes he receives from Jewish merchants. Hoping scientific investigation will catch the true killer, Henry calls on his cousin, the King of Sicily-whose subjects include the best medical experts in Europe-and asks for his finest "master of the art of death," the earliest form of medical examiner. The Italian doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University of Salerno, an expert in the science of anatomy and the art of detection. But her name is Adelia; the king has been sent a "mistress of the art of death."

In a backward and superstitious country like England, Adelia faces danger at every turn. As she examines the victims and retraces their last steps, Adelia must conceal her true identity in order to avoid accusations of witchcraft. Along the way, she's assisted by one of the king's tax collectors, Sir Rowley Picot, a man with a personal stake in the investigation. A former Crusader knight, Rowley may be a needed friend...or the fiend for whom they are searching. As Adelia's investigation takes her along Cambridge's shadowy river paths, and behind the closed doors of its churches and nunneries, the hunt intensifies and the killer prepares to strike again...
very good. 4.5 out of 5