Ronda Thompson (1955–2007)

I read the first novella in the late Ronda Thompson's Wild Wulfs of London series quite some time ago and really enjoyed it. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get back to these books, but I'm so glad that I finally did. I have a feeling The Wild Wulfs of London is going to become a new favorite series in the paranormal romance genre for me. Ronda Thompson's writing style is very emotionally engaging. She really makes me care about and relate to her characters. Her love scenes are show more sweetly sensual and each one builds on the last to propel the story along. The bathtub scene where Armond and Rosalind first share some real intimacy was quite steamy. I also enjoyed the light mystery/suspense portion of the plot too. Although parts of it were rather predictable, I could still feel the air of tension surrounding Armond's investigation of the murders and Rosalind's stepbrother trying to keep her under his thumb. Everything just came together to make this book a perfect read that will definitely be placed on my keeper shelf.

Armond is a man tormented by his family's curse which makes its male members turn into werewolves if they fall in love, so he has vowed never to do that. Of course, he didn't count on the sweet, beautiful Rosalind capturing his heart and stirring his passion from the moment he meets her. Publicly, the ton believes that the Wulf family curse is madness, and because of it, Armond and his brothers have a dark reputation. When the story opens, he is already a suspect in a murder case. In spite of his perceived bad boy image and the beast inside him, it is clear right from the start that Armond is far more honorable and gentlemanly than most human men. Even though Rosalind was throwing herself at him, desperately wanting him to ruin her, he didn't completely debauch her and even gave her a plausible excuse for her absence from the party. Throughout the entire story, Armond exercises incredible self-control which is a quality I love in a hero. It was very sweet how he simply held and comforted Rosalind through the night the second time he secretly came to her room, and even after they were married, he gave her the choice of whether to consummate their union and when. Now that's not to say that he isn't seductive. He told Rosalind up front that he wouldn't play fair, and it was really cute how he asks her every day, "Have I told you I want you today?" I also loved his protectiveness. From the moment Armond met Rosalind that instinct in him came out and only increased as his love for her grew. On the surface, his declaration to Rosalind that he would never love her seemed cruel, but it was really just his determination to protect her from everything, including himself, that made him say it.

Rosalind was my favorite type of heroine, one who is kind, gentle and sweet on the outside, but inside is strong and intelligent. She had been badly abused by her stepbrother and he was now prepared to “sell” her in marriage to a man she found loathsome. In sheer desperation, she thought that being ruined by the most dangerous and shunned man in the ton would be a better option, but she didn't count on Armond having a heart of gold beneath his dark facade. I thought that act alone was a pretty bold move on her part, but time and time again, throughout the story, she shows her bravery. She stood up for Armond when he was wrongly accused of murder and gave him an alibi even though it did ruin her. She willingly married Armond and always saw him for the decent man he was rather than the madman waiting to happen that the ton thought him to be or the monster he saw in himself. She instinctively sensed that he would never harm her no matter what form he took, and he always lived up to her faith in him. Rosalind didn't really want to consummate their marriage until Armond was able to give her his heart, but in the meantime, she could barely resist him. She is very curious and loves sharing intimacies with her handsome husband. Rosalind is also quite intuitive, understanding that Armond's sometimes hurtful words are meant to protect her, and looking beneath the surface to his actions which speak louder than his words. She was very intelligent too, figuring out her brother's schemes on her own and trying to put a stop to them.

There are a number of exciting and colorful secondary characters in The Dark One. Rosalind's stepbrother, Franklin and his accomplice made dastardly villains. The Dowager Duchess of Brayberry was a lively old lady who was a true friend to both Armond and Rosalind. Armond's two brothers, Jackson and Gabriel are introduced as well. Unlike his two brothers who are responsible and hard-working, Jackson is a rake with a wild reputation, but incredibly charming with the ladies. It appears that he is going off on a quest to break the family curse and prove himself by finding and killing a certain witch. His story becomes the next book in the series, The Untamed One. Gabriel is the strong, silent type, a man who is very much tied to the land of the family's country estate. He catches the eye of Rosalind's new friend, Amelia who on the surface is a good girl, but deep down is a very passionate young woman who longs to be scandalous. Gabriel and Amelia's story is the last in the series, The Cursed One.

The Dark One has more of the feel of a Regency-era historical romance with a somewhat lighter paranormal element. Aside from Armond having heightened senses and physical abilities, the supernatural portion of the plot doesn't really come into play until the last quarter or so of the book. The rest of the novel is about the mystery and suspense surrounding the murder investigation, and the emotional turmoil that Armond and Rosalind deal with because of the curse and their gradual growth into realizing how much they love each other. Overall, The Dark One was a well-written, well-plotted, emotionally satisfying story that has definitely left me quite eager to get to the next book in The Wild Wulfs of London series. show less

As the story begins Katrine Summerville and Trey Westmoreland are on a blind date... well, not exactly. Both Katrine and Trey need an escort to an awards banquet and their mutual friend Cynthia sets them up. The blaze of attraction immediately ignites between them, but when they both are called to the podium to receive an award and discover the true identity of the other the blaze turns to intense dislike and an angry argument ensues for all to see.

Katrine and Trey have a history. Katrine show more writes sexy historical romances for a living under a pseudonym (Kat Summers). Trey is a book critic who writes reviews under the pseudonym T. West for the local newspaper. Years ago he wrote a scathing review of Kat's book reflecting his prejudice against the romance genre in general. His review created animosity between them and they have been sworn enemies ever since although they had never met. After seeing the sparks fly at the banquet, Trey's publisher and Katrine's editor come up with a great idea to handle the publicity. These two are going to go out on a series of four dates and each write an article on their views of the date. Katrine will write the romantic viewpoint while Trey will write the realistic view.

Both characters carry a boatload of baggage. Katrine was abandoned at 5 years old, and pregnant and widowed at eighteen. Trey is still bitter about his failed marriage and feels romance novels give women a distorted expectation of love. What follows is a hilarious ride through one hysterically funny date-from-hell to the next. I could tell you about their dates, but I won't :) They are just too damn funny and I don't want to spoil your enjoyment. I laughed and laughed over every one, each one more funny than the last.

The dialogue is snappy, sassy and clever, and the plot is fast paced and lighthearted with a serious undertone which makes it work so well. The chemistry between these two characters was perfect. I would rate them as one of my top 10 favorite couples of all time. I also got a huge kick out of the tongue in cheek spoof of romance novels as well. (Grade: A) show less

I liked the premise of "Isn't It Romantic" (even tho it's been done before), and I thought the characters were well-done and the dialogue was very funny. The problem is/was the sheer gullibility of both and their constant denial of having feelings for each other just blew it for me about 1/2 way through the book. If the story had ended at 250 pages instead of dragging on for 347, I'd be happier at this moment. The hero and heroine were supposedly bright, articulate, and logical...so why the show more constant stupidity? By 3/4 of my way through, I began to actively dislike the hero. Not much longer afterward, ditto the heroine. The only character I felt stayed true thru it all was the daughter!!
Ah well...read and learn, true? show less

The Untamed One
3.5 Stars

Jackson Wulf is determined to break the curse that afflicts his bloodline and believes that he must kill a witch in order to do so. Lucinda is a witch on the run after being targeted by the local Lord who is determined to murder her unborn child. Jackson and Lucinda cross paths in the woods and set in motion a chain of events that will either lead to their mutual destruction or untold happiness. Which will it be?

The basic premise of this series is wonderful and show more Thompson’s writing style is very immersive. Unfortunately, this installment suffers from the irritating silly misunderstanding and lack of communication tropes that annoy me no end.

Jackson is a charming rogue well on his way to becoming a drunkard and a womanizer. Lucinda brings out his honor and self respect as well as his sense of responsibility, and his scenes with baby Sebastian are some of the sweetest in the book.

Lucinda is strong, self-reliant and resourceful, but holds herself back from loving Jackson out of fear. This inevitably leads to several irritating scenes in which she fails to tell him the truth of her past with the villain and ultimately puts both herself, her son and Jackson in danger.

Unfortunately, despite their chemistry and growing emotional attachment, neither Jackson nor Lucinda are honest with one another which leads to a another series of annoying scenes in which they wallow in their internal angst rather than speaking about their issues openly.

In sum, this one is worth reading more for the suspense plot, which has some intense, tension filled scenes and an exciting resolution, than for the disappointing romance. show less