Alissa Johnson - An Unexpected Gentleman

Adelaide Ward has but one goal-to obtain an offer of marriage from the respectable, if unappealing, Baron Maxwell. But it's the devilishly handsome Connor Brice who captures her imagination-and a kiss in broad daylight-in front of a dozen members of the ton. Now Adelaide must decide if the charming scoundrel who stole away her reputation might still be trusted with her heart. Because Brice is after more than Adelaide's affection: he wants revenge on the baron. 

Comment: This was the last book I picked in October and I chose it because it was the one I still had in the pile by this author. This is also the second in the Haverston family trilogy. All three books are connected loosely, meaning that the main plots of all aren't directly connected, so each book can be read out of order. I wasn't aware if this though, and I ended up reading the last story first, then the first and, finally this one. 

I must say I'm glad I did things out of order because now that I've read the three stories, my favorite is the third for certain.

In this second story the main protagonist is a man we met while the protagonist of the first story visited prisoners to help them with their mending clothes.

The heroine, Adelaide, is the sister of another prisoner, guilty of unpaid debts, and someone the hero would see often visiting the prison. However, the two are linked because the heroine's family is close to destitute and her only solution is to marry someone with money and that is what will likely happen between the heroine and the hero's unscrupulous step brother. But now that the hero is free again, he not only wants to get his revenge on what the step brother caused but he also wants to have Adelaide to himself...

I thought this book to be boring. I'm not usually a big fan of revenge plots and this was not the one that made me think differently. The romance wasn't that amazing either and all these elements together just didn't make for a very interesting read, overall.

The revenge plot is classic in some books and often happens so that we can understand why the character changes tactics and understands it's not about revenge, we should just learn to let go. The case here is more or less that and the hero Connor somehow does get to that opinion at some point but the path towards that isn't one I'd say is the more interesting to follow. I just didn't like hoe he behaved, even if his reasons were valid and even acknowledging he didn't do unfair or bad things to reach his goals. I just didn't like reading about his so called problems and the way he chose to act on how to solve them.

The heroine is one I liked many times, especially when she was acting as a sensible woman, knowing her limits and her strengths.

However, since this is also a romance, Adelaide also acts like an innocent young woman and that means rather silly and sometimes as if she had never seen a man before (namely when he is trying to seducing her, no matter how innocent, can she be that naive?) and that really got on my nerves, especially because she was basically taking care of her family at this point and it made her looks as if only one look would dismiss all her abilities, all her poise and behavior. I mean... disappointing.

The romance was also a little bit the game of cat and mouse and in this case, the mouse wasn't always unaware of what is happening but I still didn't find their relationship to be addictive to follow. Connor is obviously very reserved and it almost feels as if his decisions and actions aren't meant to be easily seen by others. He says he cares about Adelaide and I can appreciate how he helps Adelaide and tries to get her out of the toxic path of his step brother. But I can't say his feeling are well expressed or easily believable.

As for Adelaide, I liked her for the most part but her more "mary sue" behavior in certain situations made me want to tell her when was behaving like an immature person and, considering the premise, her change in personality at the times she behaved as the responsible person she is described as in the blurb ,felt a little unbalanced.

I think that, at the end of things, what felt weaker in this story was really the lack of balance between what this was supposed to be and what was actually happening in the page. Both protagonists had plenty of opportunity to behave differently and still obtain their wishes, especially after Connor proposes to Adelaide and she has that chance.

Regardless of this, the story was sweet, had cute moments, cute interactions and scenes but as a whole it wasn't as incredible as I would like.

Grade: 6/10

Alissa Johnson - Nearly a Lady

Lord Gideon Haverston wanted to right his family's wrongs. So when he promises young Winnefred Blythe the money that his stepmother had cheated her out of over the years, he expects to be greeted as a hero. But the situation is much more complicated than Gideon had expected-and the task of taming the untrusting Winnefred much more alluring.

Comment: Around four years ago, I got Practically Wicked by author Alissa Johnson and really liked it. Since it was the first book I tried by the author, I wasn't aware it was the third in a series and now that the opportunity came forth, I've started the first one, this Nearly a Lady, which I hoped would be as engaging.

The story begins with Lord Gideon traveling to an estate of his family because he was told by his brother, the marquess, that a ward of him lived there. Upon arrival, he is practically attacked and realizes his attackers are two young ladies, one of them his brother's ward and the other he comes to understand, is the young woman his bother fell in love twelve years ago but never forgot even thinking has had married.

While trying to untangle all the secrets, Gideon lives with the young women for a while, he even got servants for the house after realizing the women haven't been living with the money they were supposed to have gotten. Convincing them to go to London to be presented to society proved quite difficult, especially  because Winnifred, his brother's ward, happens to be a serious but free girl who is witty and friendly but finds no interest in the sort of subjects young ladies do. How will things be between them in London, will they still be friends?

I liked the other book I've read by this author. I found the writing easy and captivating and the story was entertaining. Of course I'd expect the same in this novel and generally speaking, the same expectations were met.

However, the plots are different, even if the characters are connected (although here one wouldn't see how this and the third are connected) and that obviously interferes with the way readers might like or not the stories. I think that this one had a lot of potential and for a while that was met but not the whole story felt as constant for me.

The beginning of the story was very good: the characters meet in an almost funny setting, both parties (Winnifred and Lilly vs Lord Gideon) think something about the other which later proves to be incorrect and there's a genuine feel of respect and friendship between them. I really liked how they met, how they started to interact with one another and of course, as this is a romance, how Gideon and Winnifred butted heads at the same time they seemed to feel good in each others' company. I suppose that, if the story had going more along these lines, this would have been perfect. But at some point, plot reasons make the characters go to London, where they meet other people and see themselves in completely different scenes and situations.

The story started to lose speed when Winnifred saw herself in a situation she couldn't control. There are many ways of dealing with this but I confess I struggled to find the will to keep on reading about her difficulties and actions. It just didn't ring interesting. Then, of course, her relationship with Gideon took a turn into cliché mode and that alone would have brought my grading down, no matter what. The constant indecision, changing of mind, following analytical POVs of what "is expected" and not their real feelings (and attention, no reason why they couldn't admit their feelings or be together except for Gideon's personal views on certain issues) for one another, all that bored me a little bit. In the end, the romance wasn't as smooth as I hoped for after the first pages. The HEA is cute, yes, but I don't think this feels as memorable for me.

Many people seem to criticize the attitudes and quirkiness of the characters, namely Winnifred because they don't resemblance real people from that time. I don't mind this aspect as I thought it gave the story something different to focus on and it wasn't not that exaggerated that would ruin the story. But I agree this was not always a very well thought plot overall and if not for the easy way one can read this and several fun scenes, this wouldn't be as positive for me.

Grade: 7/10

Alissa Johnson - Practically Wicked

As the illegitimate daughter of a scandalous woman, Miss Anna Rees is almost as well known for having been raised in the hedonistic demimonde as she is for her quiet nature. Anna longs to leave behind her mother’s world of courtesans…until she unexpectedly meets the handsome, charming and decidedly wicked Lord Dane.  If only she could convince him to join her in search of respectability. . .
Viscount Maximilian Dane is perfectly content being a rake. After years of obeying the dictates of proper society--with disastrous results--he stopped following the ton’s ridiculous rules, and he sees no reason to begin courting respectability anew. Except that it may be the only way for him to win the lovely and fascinating Miss Anna Rees—if only he could convince her that the grass is greener on the wicked side of the fence. . . 

Comment: I've had this book to read since last year and at the time I bought it I wasn't aware it was the third in a series!! Now that I have read and enjoyed this one, the debate is should I read the previous ones or to jump straight to the author's other works? Decisions, decisions.

This is Anna Rees' story, she is a shy, sheltered lady, practically closed in her mother's house for quite selfish purposes, but Anna has found joy in books and in learning. One night, by chance, she started talking to a guest of one of her mother's scandalous parties and she and a slightly drunk Max Dane seemed to get along quite well. He promised to call on her but he never did.
Four years past and now Anna is in possession of the identity of her father, something her mother never told her. Anna takes a chance on a dream away from her mother's house and influence but on the way she has to deal with meeting Max again, and this time they do have time to know each other very well...

I liked this story a lot. It's told from a very simple but straightforward POV and without any artifices or the current sexual content which I think it's very over the top in some cases where the books aren't erotica. Anyway, this book has a story to tell, it tells it and that's it. The reader doesn't feel like it's a soap opera or just chapters crafter together. Te plot has a meaning, the characters have simple but powerful drives and motivations and their interactions are meant to be purposeful and there didn't seem to have any scenes just to set thing or to fill up space. I was very impressed by how "clean" the story is. Editor's work or author's neatness, whichever or both of them, it worked.

I liked Anna's character and her troubles while growing up despite never having lack of anything except love and caring from her mother. But Anna is a sensible woman, she isn't exaggerated in her actions or her actions. I liked her so much because she is quiet and has a good sense of herself, she has simple dreams and just wants a bit of independence without stepping over others. One of my favorite historical heroines ever, probably.

Max was intriguing and more than meets the eye, at least we get to know more of him and step by step we learn to like and respect him. His relationship with Anna has a very dramatic start but the way they talk about what happened and how -by talking! - solve their issues, it's a romance wonder in fact, and from then their paths cross because there's attraction but there's empathy and things in common and a certain acceptance of what the other needs and wishes to be heard and understood. I liked how they were good together and liked how their romance slowly but strongly developed.

I was really pleased by how much I liked this, the author did a wonderful job with the characterization, the plot sequences, the way things were organized and how everything seemed to go from an apparent simple feeling or action but the way the reader saw it happen, it got to be much more important and intense, but still subtle. I do think this is much of an author's talent showing.
The only thing I'd change was how the sexual side of things worked out, I thought it could have been more romantic, considering the character's story until that point.
I look forward to read more wonderfully written stories by ms Johnson.
Grade: 8/10