Donna Hatch

Since I tend to prefer a little steam in my romances, I don't usually read a lot of sweet, PG-rated ones. However, I can definitely enjoy a romance sans love scenes as long as the writer is talented enough to make me feel something. The most important thing for me when reading any romance is the desire to sense an emotional connection between the characters within the story as well as having them connect with me as the reader. I know I'm always going to get that when I read one of Donna show more Hatch's stories, which is why she's become my current favorite go-to author for sweet mainstream romance. The Suspect's Daughter, her latest release and the newest book in her Rogue Hearts series fits the bill perfectly. I didn't end up liking it quite as well as the previous two books in the series, but it was still a really good read.

Oddly enough, my main reason for marking this book down a half star is probably the exact same reason most other readers are giving it the highest rating of any book in the series thus far. And that's its hero, Grant. Grant is a very cold, cynical man, a little too much so for my taste. However, this didn't really surprise me based on his appearances in the previous books of the series. He's essentially an honorary Bow Street Runner. As the son of a earl, he doesn't really have to work, but he's not the type of man to sit around indolently the way he feels many aristocratic men do. He's good friends with the magistrate who saved his life during the Napoleonic War and feels he owes the man a debt of gratitude. In part, to pay him back, Grant works with Bow Street on a number of cases as a sort of independent consultant. His latest case investigating a possible assassination plot against the Prime Minister places him in close proximity with the two types of people he dislikes the most, aristocrats and women. He has little use for either one and isn't particularly fond of going undercover among them.

I could live with Grant's internal commentary on the ton, but his thoughts about women did tend to grate on occasion. Early on, he's pretty difficult to like and I couldn't quite understand what Jocelyn saw in him. Luckily, though, the author does hint at some vulnerability in his past and perhaps a woman who did him wrong. I suppose everyone deals with things in their own way, and I'll admit that some pretty terrible things happened to Grant, but there were times when his methods of dealing seemed a little extreme. He doesn't want to have anything to do with women at all, ever again, and thinks they're all manipulative, conniving witches who always have an ulterior motive. Given that he had a mother he seemed to adore and two sisters, as well as three sisters-in-law whom he likes well enough, it was a little hard to grasp his extreme views. Thankfully, this begins to improve about halfway into the story. We see some selfless actions on his part, become privy to compassion that he's shown others, and his past starts to be revealed in bits and pieces. Because of these things I can honestly say that I gradually started liking him much better, but when he was still questioning Jocelyn's motives over ¾ of the way into the book, when she'd been nothing but sweet and kind to him, I wanted to slap him silly. Grant did grow on me and I did sympathize with him after all that he'd been though, but he was just a little too distrustful and jaded for me to wholeheartedly fall in love with him like I did with his brothers, Christian and Jared. I guess I simply like my heroes to be a little softer and more personable.

Jocelyn was the perfect foil for Grant's hard-edged, misanthropic personality. She's a sweet girl who's given up her season to act as her father's hostess to further his political career. She's upbeat and always has a genuine sunny smile for everyone. Jocelyn adores her father and when she finds out that he's the prime suspect in Grant's investigation, she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wouldn't do something like that. She's no delicate shrinking violet like Grant expects her to be. In fact, she insists on helping with his investigation so that she can prove her point. She also does a lot of things, such as acting as a healer and midwife, that are completely unexpected to Grant and that don't fit his preconceived notions of what a woman of her station is like. Jocelyn is a deeply caring and compassionate person, always willing to lend a helping hand. I love how she genuinely wanted to do something when faced with the extreme poverty of her maid's sister and her children. Best of all, she exhibits the patience of Job and is extremely bold and determined in her dealings with Grant. I don't think I could have dealt with a man like him the way she did, but I admire her for it. Without her genuine sweetness and dauntless pursuit of him, he would have easily written her off as just another spoiled society miss.

Other than wishing Grant would have softened up a bit more and a bit sooner, the only other thing that bothered me were the typos. If there are only a few, I try to overlook them, but in this case there were enough to be a bit distracting. Otherwise, I very much enjoyed reading The Suspect's Daughter. The mystery was well-done, and according to the author's note at the end, it's based on factual historical events. I also enjoyed visiting with Grant's three brothers and their wives from the previous books, and his two sisters put in an appearance too. I think that Ms. Hatch has plans to write their stories as well. I really like Rachel's geekiness, and it appears that Margaret is trapped in a horrible marriage and needs an HEA of her own. I'll certainly be on the look-out for their books and hope that Ms. Hatch will be writing and releasing them soon.

Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. show less

It's been three and a half years since Donna Hatch last released a full-length historical romance, and during that time, I've been eagerly awaiting the next installment in her Rogue Hearts series. Now that I've finally read A Perfect Secret, I can say unequivocally that it was worth the wait. Ms. Hatch definitely has a way with writing sweet romances that are utterly swoon-worthy, and she has a talent for conveying volumes of meaning in a simple look or touch. Every time I read one of her show more books I hardly miss not having steamy love scenes, because her stories are just so incredibly romantic without them.

Christian is now my favorite Donna Hatch hero, and he has also earned a spot among my all-time favorite heroes overall. He's a sweet beta male with a streak of alpha protectiveness. Christian is a gentle, sensitive artist who feels everything very deeply, so much so that seventeen years later, he's still blaming himself for his brother's death when they were children. While both their families were vacationing in Bath, Christian fell for Genevieve and loved her with a passion he never thought possible. Even though at twenty-three, he was on the young side to be marrying, he felt more than ready, so when Jen threw him over on a whim for another man, it was the ultimate betrayal. A year later, Christian chances to see a woman throwing herself off a bridge into a fast-moving river and doesn't hesitate to rush to her aid. When he pulls her out and realizes it's Jen, he's tempted to throw her back in, but the honorable gentleman in him won't allow it. Instead, he takes her to his family's estate and makes sure she's cared for, but he's understandably still upset with her and treats her rather coldly at first. Still, he can't help wondering what has happened to her in the past year that would make her want to attempt suicide and then beg not to be sent back to her husband. During these early chapters, he's a man who protests a bit too much, almost like he's trying to convince himself that he no longer loves Jen. Of course, slowly but surely the ice around his heart begins to melt and he comes around. Soon he's more than willing to risk scandal and her husband's wrath to keep her safe even without knowing the whole story of what drove her to this desperate place. I love how kind and tender Christian is with Genevieve, never giving her cause to worry or fear him even after all she's been through. He's even thoroughly insulted when she suggests that he wants something from her in exchange for helping her, perhaps to make her his mistress, but he's far too honorable for that. Perfect may have been an insult that his brothers threw at him while they were growing up, but Christian was indeed the perfect hero in every possible way.

Genevieve is a loving, dutiful and brave daughter, who agreed to marry a man she despised to protect her parents from accusations of something her father had done. She knew that if she didn't capitulate to Lord Wickburg's blackmail, her family would be ruined. Her father would most likely have hanged, and her mother, who was already in frail health, might have died as well, or at the very least, have been left a penniless widow. Jen couldn't allow that to happen to her wonderful parents, so she pretended she never loved Christian and entered into a loveless nightmare of a marriage to save them. After a year with her sadistic, abusive husband, and having tried to escape him once before, she finally took drastic measures, attempting suicide. Luckily, it was Christian who was there to save her, but after what she'd done to him, she was understandably frightened that he might send her right back to her husband. She's surprised and deeply touched when he agrees to help her escape by setting her up as a companion to his bluestocking, spinster sister, Rachel, who lives in a remote village on the Scottish border. When Jen suspects that her husband has found her and is playing a cruel cat and mouse game with her, she fears for both Christian and Rachel's lives. She considers running away to keep them safe, but then realizes it would hurt Christian terribly if she left him again and simply disappeared. In the end, she can't go through with it and decides to share her suspicions with him instead which was incredibly refreshing. Genevieve never stopped loving Christian. Memories of their time together and his tenderness helped to get her through the year with her abominable husband. When she sees all the risks he's willingly taking and the lengths he'll go to keep her safe, she only loves him more and knows that she must do everything in her power to escape her husband once and for all so she can be with the man she was meant to marry all along.

A Perfect Secret has a robust cast of secondary characters as well. All the Amesbury siblings were either present or mentioned in some way, and all of them showed unhesitating kindness to Genevieve. It was great to see Cole and Alicia ([book:The Stranger She Married|4988599]) still blissfully happy and expecting their first child. Cole and Jared ([book:The Guise of a Gentleman|7920381]) also band together to help Christian. The final Amesbury brother, Grant, is a brooding and aloof Bow Street Runner who seems to live in a gray area. No one is quite sure which side of the law he's on, as he seems to be willing to do some pretty questionable things for the greater good. In spite of Grant and Christian seeming to have a long-standing, mostly silent, feud over the death of their brother, Grant willingly steps in to help Chris keep Jen safe, even though he doesn't seem to have much use for the fairer sex. It was great to see them, more or less, patching things up by the end, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what kind of woman it takes to bring this intense man to his knees. Their sister, Rachel, is a very intriguing character. She's an amateur botanist who wants to write a book about plants. She's also a firmly on the shelf spinster, but deep down, she longs for the kind of love her parents shared. I have a feeling her hero is going to be James, an old friend of her brothers' who shows up to challenge Christian to a steeplechase. He's a libertine who it's hinted may have previously broken Rachel's heart. As an aside, I was so glad that Rachel didn't tell Jen about their brother's death and why it affected Christian so deeply. Too often in romances, a secondary character shares information about a primary character which in my opinion takes away an opportunity for intimacy between the hero and heroine. Having her tell Jen that maybe someday Christian would share that story with her was the perfect way to handle the situation and an extremely refreshing change of pace. Last but not least, we're also introduced to Connor Jackson, a fellow Bow Street Runner and friend of Grant, who also has ties to Christian. He's played up enough in this book that I can't help wondering if he might become the hero to Margaret, Rachel's twin and the final Amesbury sibling, who is mentioned in the background as also being in a horrible marriage.

Overall, A Perfect Secret was a perfect story. I can't think of a single thing I would have changed. It's a deeply romantic tale of two people who never stopped loving one another and who risked everything to be together again despite the odds against it. All the characters were wonderful, and there's just enough suspense to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. This wonderful book, along with her previous works I've read, have definitely earned Donna Hatch a spot on my favorite authors list. I know that she has stories planned for all the remaining Amesbury siblings, but it was difficult to tell from this book who will be next. I'd venture to guess it's probably going to be either Rachel or Grant. Whichever one it is, I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't be another three years before I can read it.:-)

Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. show less

A Christmas Reunion is one of Donna Hatch’s Regency romance shorts. It’s only about 32 pages by my eReader’s count, so it doesn’t have a particularly involved plot. In it, we have a young lady who’s been jilted by her fiancé who wrote from a battlefield hospital on the continent that he’d married someone else. What she doesn’t know is that it was all a lie he concocted because of injuries he sustained in battle that makes him believe she’d be better off without him. A chance show more meeting between them at a posting inn as she’s traveling with her parents to a Christmas celebration at her aunt’s house finally reveals the truth and brings them back together.

Emily was madly in love with Bennett, so she’s been heartbroken ever since receiving his letter three months earlier. She’s a sweet young woman, but one who’s also angry and grief-stricken, having a normal reaction to being thrown over. But I like that, when reunited with Bennett, she’s smart enough to intuit what’s really going on, and she’s very forgiving and loving as well. Bennett was perhaps a bit prideful to break things off like he did without giving Emily a chance to choose for herself, but there are many things that they used to enjoy together, which he can no longer do because of his injuries. However, I liked that, when confronted by Emily, he finally fesses up and is open to receiving her love again.

Overall, A Christmas Reunion is a sweet, tender story about two people finding their way back to one another. There’s no particularly objectionable content, so it should be appropriate for romance readers of all ages and sensitivity levels. It’s too short to go very deep in either plot or characterizations, but it does manage to be pretty satisfying given it’s length. If you’re looking for a heartwarming read that takes an hour or less of your reading time during the busy holiday season, then this little novelette should fit the bill. show less

I had enjoyed Donna Hatch's debut historical romance, The Stranger She Married, so when she recently sent me a copy of the galley proofs for her brand new book, The Guise of a Gentleman, I was really looking forward to reading it. Now that I've finished it, I have to say that I liked it even more than the first book. In fact, I loved it. The Guise of a Gentleman sweeps the reader along in an almost epic journey that begins in the proper, quiet drawing rooms of country manor houses, then show more moves to a daring high-seas pirate adventure, and back to England for an intense, nail-biting climax followed by a sweet HEA. I was sucked right into the story in the first chapter when the heroine rescues the hero from certain death and he thanks her with a tender but searing kiss. Things slowed down a bit for me after that, with the plot following the couple around from one country party to the next as they get to know each other and their attraction builds. About a quarter of the way in though, I was hooked again, and by the time they set out to sea, I was utterly enthralled and at times reluctant to put the book down.

Jared has without a doubt earned a spot on my all-time favorite romance heroes list. From the moment he kissed Elise for the first time, I completely fell for him. Jared is an utterly charming, mischievous rogue, but at the same time, he plays the part of a proper gentleman to perfection. Underneath it all, he isn't quite the rake that he outwardly projects, which I loved. I thought this bit of his persona showed that in his heart he was looking for something special rather than just flitting from one ladies' bedchamber to another, although he certainly could have had his pick of female admirers if he'd wanted them. Jared was also a deeply tortured hero who was tormented by all the questionable things he'd done over the years as a pirate, even though they were for the greater good. At the same time, he showed a profound sense of honor by creating rules for his pirate crew that kept them in line and prevented even worse things from happening. He had also earned their complete trust and respect by being a strong leader, and even proved his loyalty to them unto death. Outwardly, Jared was strong and brave, but inwardly, he was lonely and broken, a man who wasn't even certain of who he was anymore. I adored how his real self naturally came out when he was in Elise's presence and he wasn't afraid to show her his vulnerabilities. The scene where he seeks out her comfort after a sad, upsetting event in his life was thoroughly beautiful. Jared was also great with kids, showing tender affection for Elise's young son, Colin and his cabin boy/tiger, Jose. I could very easily envision him being a fabulous father. Jared embodied all the qualities that I tend to love most in my romance heroes. I can't think of a thing about him that I didn't like, and he would be more than welcome to give me kissing lessons any day.;-)

Elise is a sweet, gentle heroine who can be brave and feisty when she needs to be. In many ways, she reminded me of the heroine from Lisa Kleypas' Where Dreams Begin. Elise was a widow who had barely come out of mourning for her late husband after five years, and was rather determined not to remarry. Her husband had been an extremely proper gentleman, not given to displays of affection and was actually downright prudish. Even after a few years of marriage and giving birth to a son, Elise is still pretty innocent. She had been content in her first marriage, but really didn't know what she was missing until an irrepressible rogue came along to steal her heart and teach her how to really live and love again. Elise was an intelligent, out-spoken woman with a repressed thirst for adventure. Jared really respected her for those things and his personality spoke to that hidden part of her. She is a wonderful, loving mother and a great friend. I liked Elise's courage and determination. She didn't allow fear and despair to overwhelm her and showed some backbone with her captors and even with Jared when she thought he'd duped her. However, she was a woman who simply couldn't ignore the cry of her heart and generously forgave Jared before she even knew the full truth about him, and was tenderhearted, offering him love and comfort when he needed it most. There were a few times in the early chapters when I thought that Elise protested her burgeoning feelings and mistrusted Jared's intentions toward her a bit too much, but overall, she was a well-rounded heroine who earned my respect and admiration.

Jared and Elise as a couple were absolutely wonderful. I really liked that they were both more average “middle class” type characters which is unusual for a historical romance. Jared was the second son of an earl, but his chosen profession made him equally, if not more, comfortable with the low-born as he was in higher social circles. I can't recall if it was specifically stated as to what Elise's first husband did for a living. They were wealthy enough to own a country estate and have servants, as well as have noble friends, but Elise was not of the nobility herself. The other thing I loved about Jared and Elise were their interactions. The author was able to create a thoroughly palpable and swoon-worthy connection between them with nothing more than looks, touches and passionate kisses, which is more than some authors can accomplish with pages of detailed love scenes. The Guise of a Gentleman is a very sweet romance that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend for mature teens and more sensitive readers, but at the same time, it contains some of the headiest non-explicit sensuality I've ever read. Even though I usually enjoy some steamy love scenes in my romances, Donna Hatch has definitely proven that a luscious, gratifying relationship can be built without them. If all sweet romances were written this beautifully, I'd probably read them more.

Believe it or not there were other things besides Jared and Elise that I enjoyed about this novel. From what I can tell, Ms. Hatch has done her research well and uses the historical details to really bring the setting to life. She is also very good at writing naturally flowing dialog punctuated with facial expression and gestures. I found some of the exchanges between the protagonists to be very lovely and poetic. In addition, there is a strong cast of secondary characters. Colin and Jose are both cute little boys who are rendered in a very age-appropriate way, and Jared and Elise's friends and Jared's crew members help to set the stage, and are appealing in their own way but never overpowering. The Guise of a Gentleman is the second book in the Rogue Hearts series, and readers get a visit with Jared's brother, Cole and his wife, Alicia from the first book, The Stranger She Married. More depth is added to their other two brothers, Grant and Christian, and I'm now officially intrigued by both and can't wait for their stories. The pace may have been a little slow in the beginning with a few rough edges that could have been smoothed out, and some repetition that hopefully will be cleaned up for the final copy, but nothing that particularly detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Overall, The Guise of a Gentleman was a swoon-worthy romance coupled with a thrilling adventure that has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. show less