Nina Lane

THIS IS ONE BOOK NOT TO MISS!!

Alexander Hall, Viscount Northwood, had to deal with gossip and scandal surrounding his family, as well as from his own broken engagement. People thought of the Halls as "extraordinarily disreputable", as if that's not enough, his ties to Russia (his Russian blood, his trading business, family members still live in Russia) have become more of an issue in the midst of the political tension. Alexander has spent the last two years working hard to restore his show more family's reputation. To this pressure is added the expectation that he marry and produce an heir to secure the earldom. Should he just do what his brother suggested? "Just find a sweet, empty-headed young chit... needn't do much except wed her and bed her...."?

It all comes crashing down when blue-eyed Lydia Kellaway walked up to his front door one evening asked him to sell the locket he purchased back to her, claiming it belonged to her mother. Their negotiation somehow turns into a challenge. Lydia sparks his curiosity: who is this woman? He even likes the sound of her voice, her scent, not of perfume or flowers, but of pencil and paper and clean starch. He wants to marry Lydia, but she keeps refusing his offer. Her reasons don't make sense, there's something she's not telling him. They love each other. She tries to quantify love with her mathematical theories, explains attraction and desire away with equations and theorems, it doesn't work that way.

Lydia is a mathematical prodigy: numbers have been her love since childhood. But her genius came with a price, people view her as oddity, her world is full of numbers and equations, she's spent the past decade living a quiet life with her grandmother and sister, working behind the scene, away from spotlight and social events. But Alexander Hall made her feel things. He affects her in ways she'd never felt before. She must be careful not to let him get past the wall she'd spent years building to protect herself.
Alexander needs to convince Lydia to marry him, to show her that love can't be proven in mathematical formulas or equations. Has he pushed her too hard and pushed her farther away? Will he succeed? Will she choose love?

It is rare to find a heroine such as Lydia in historical romance novels. If you like heroine with brain, beauty and fire, this book is it. Lydia is quite charming, beautiful, passionate and sensual if one bothers to look past all the dull exterior.
I love the role reversal of characters. We don't often see a heroine who has her own followers of smart men, intelligent and prestigious men following her like a little regiment.

Nina Rowan has delivered a witty and unusual storyline that offers fresh idea, with very unique and fascinating characters and plot. Yet, not lacking in passion, the love scenes would certainly satiate and meet romance readers' expectation. I also enjoyed her candid descriptions of simple things in our everyday life and turned them into colorful images: of light and sound, of people on the street, of emotion and feeling, of sensuality and passion, of one's thoughts, one's feeling towards another... and of chemistry between two lovers.

The fact that I dislike anything mathematical in real life (and I'm sure there are other romance readers like me out there who'd feel the same way), instead, I found myself fascinated by a heroine who is a math prodigy, I found it charming and endearing, and I loved this book instantly. Maybe it's reverse psychology, I found myself drawn to Lydia and cheering her on as I was reading the story. The mathematical parts in the story didn't bother me at all, nor was it a turn-off, the effect was the opposite, another talent credited to Rowan for her ability to deliver the story laced with numbers and formulas with smooth sailing. This is one book not to miss. A five-star worthy novel which is now on my 'fave' list. show less

Step aside Dean West and hello there Archer. Excuse me for a moment while I just...*faints*

Oh my word this was a scorching hot read. I absolutely loved the glimpses of Archer while reading Dean and Liv's love story. He seemed so tragic and troubled that I just wanted to see him get his own book that hopefully would bring a bit of happiness for him. I knew being the bad boy that he is it was going to be steamy. I was not prepared for the gritty and dirty lustful bliss that is Archer and show more Kelsey's romance. Yes, that's right Kelsey, Dean's best friend and fellow professor. Their love/lust for each other is hot and irresistible. They are complete opposites that somehow are just perfect for each other.

“We’re not so good together because we’re different, storm girl. We’re not night and day or sun and rain. We’re so damn good
together because we’re the same. And you’ll never belong to anyone else. Ever. Neither will I.”

Overall, I loved this book. I'm really hoping Archer will get a series of books like Dean. I loved the storm chasing, it reminded me of the movie Twister. I mean who doesn't love Twister? My only issue is I just wish there was more Arher. Can we please have more Archer? Maybe have another book just in Archer's POV? I want inside his head, well among other things. I highly recommend before you pick up Break the Sky that you read the Spiral of Bliss books (Dean and Liv's love story). Although this is a companion book, it will totally spoil the Spiral of Bliss plot line for you. Go forth and read! This is one scorching hot love story you do not want to miss. show less

Sweet life is the fifth book in the Sugar rush series. It's different from the other books so far because the characters are older. Julia is about to turn fifty and Warren is a little older than her. She is also very present in the previous books. It's hard to forget aunt (or should I call her now, stepmom) Julia and her matchmaking tendencies.

The book can be read as stand-alone, but I am recommending to read the other books first because a lot of things that were mentioned in this book show more happened in the other books. The story is good and while I couldn't exactly relate to the oldness of the main couple I enjoyed the story a lot. I didn't like the tension between Julia and Warren though. Both of them wanted the best for the other, but in some cases it just created drama and it wasn't needed. I needed these two to spend more time romancing each other. I liked Julia more than Warren despite her sometimes cold attitude. She is a softie deep inside. I have mixed feelings about Warren, but he is mostly a good guy.

The pace and the flow of the story were good. Seeing some of the characters I like was also good. Seeing Hailey wasn't good because she created tension and hurt Julia.I would have enjoyed the story more if aunt Julia wasn't truly an aunt. I am not a big fan of the plots where the hero or the heroine have something good with a person and then end up spending the rest of their lives with that person's brother or sister. Despite its flaws, the story was good and I am definitely recommending it. show less

After the end of the prequel novella, I was wondering what happened to Cole and Josie and broke them apart. This book explains early on what happened. At first, that excuse seemed silly to me, but after the end of this book, I don't think so anymore. The cliffhanger even though was not a huge one, made me need the second book because I need answers.

The way I see it, this part of the duet aims to set the story for the grown up characters, letting us see how their lives are and give Josie and show more Cole a chance to go back on speaking terms before the second and "main" part begins. I believe that we will dive deeper into the past and what led both characters to become the people they are now. There is more to them than we know and especially in Cole. The duet seems to be one heck of a ride and I wouldn't want anyone to miss it. I know book two isn't out yet, buy judging from this one, I have a feeling that it will be great and a worthy purchase. show less