Review: The Baron's Quest (Barons of the Cinque Ports #1) by Elizabeth Rose

Title: The Baron's Quest (Barons of the Cinque Ports #1)
Author: Elizabeth Rose
Genre: Medieval romance
Length: 256 paperback
Publisher: Create Space Independent Publishing
Release Date: August 9, 2015
Source: Purchased
Rating: 2
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Vashti                                                                                           

Nicholas Vaughn is Lord of New Romney and also a Baron of the Cinque Ports. He directs a fleet of ships that service the king 15 days a year in exchange for special privileges.

When Muriel Draper causes havoc on his wharf, he realizes she is a spinster—a woman who spins wool for a living—from the town. Her late father has angered the Clothmaker's Guild and now Muriel and her brother have been excommunicated from the guild and also left with a debt to the baron that he insists Muriel repays.

She can either give the baron her deceased mother's wedding ring—the only memory of her parents she has left—or she can live with him at his manor house and be his Personal Clothier to pay back the debt.

Can a merchant's daughter and a Baron of the Cinque Ports find a safe harbor with the passion for each other that burns between them, or will title and status sink that ship before it's even sailed? 

England 1285
Muriel Draper is left alone to raise her younger brother after the murder of their father. She is broke and destitute and cannot pay her rent.  Her father was a member of the merchant Guild but since he died owing them money, they have come and taken everything of value from her and banned her from the guild.

Nicholas of Vaughn, Lord of New Romney, and also Baron of the Cinque ports, happens to also be Muriel's landlord and she is late in paying rent.

Nicholas makes Muriel an offer to pay off the debt that she owes, which she reluctantly accepts. The story revolves around Nicholas and Muriel's budding relationship and feelings for one another as well the "mystery" surrounding the death of her father.  As to the mystery itself, well there was no clenching of the stomach, biting nails, or skipping a few pages ahead to find out "who did it". My dog solved the mystery before I could take my next sip of tea!  Now as to the love story (love being very loosely used here), I was almost halfway through the kindle edition, with only a kiss here and there, no declarations of any kind even mentioned yet.

Muriel is a merchant's daughter, having no dowry, with the exception of her mother's ruby ring, which she understandably can not part with. Nicholas is a baron, who's father and brother expect him to marry according to his station.  At one point Muriel is told by her best friend that it is an "honor" just to have the Baron consider her as a mistress (the medieval thinking never ceases to amaze me).

Nicholas is at war with his feelings; he wants Muriel and feels she is a true lady, yet he is embarrassed to acknowledge his feelings. He seems at times a bit shallow.  He has to have the finest clothes and materials and he is shamed by the fact he does not have a "real" castle like his friends do.

Muriel is desperate to provide for her and her brother, which I understand. However, once she had secured a position within Nicholas' household she still does foolish, impetuous, childish things. Muriel not only endangers herself, but those that she claims to care about, putting them in jeopardy with her foolish behavior, and it is those friends that have to suffer the consequences of her actions.

I did not warm up to Muriel's character, and I could never completely fall for a "hero"  who is embarrassed to publicly admit his feelings for me.  I want an alpha male in every sense of the word!

One redeeming quality of this book was that I learned something that I did not know before.  I enjoyed learning the history of the Cinque ports much more than the actual story.  I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about medieval history, but if you're looking for a good passionate romantic story with lots of chemistry. continue looking.

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Review: Dangerous Kisses(Guild of Hybrids) by Alice Lake

Title: Dangerous Kisses (Guild of Hybrids #1)

Author: Alice Lake
Genre: Historical Romance, Victorian
Length: 235 pages
Publisher: Amazon
Release Date: February 1, 2016
Source: Review Request
Rating: 2
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Vashti

Miss Lavinia Halls is a member of the Guild of Hybrids, a secret society dedicated to helping women in need. When faced with a terrified new client, Lavinia declares that her client’s fiancé must pay for his sins. The fact that she can’t take her eyes off the man’s kissable lips only spurs her resolve to bring her assignment to a quick conclusion.

Eric Yorke, Viscount Mathieson, wishes nothing more than to distance himself from his treacherous fiancée, but in his quest to do so, he finds himself trapped in the clutches of the unconventional Miss Halls. The delectable yet annoyingly persistent woman seems intent on ruining his life no matter how much he tries to thwart her attempts.

Her efforts to seek and destroy meet their match in his determination to foil her plans, until their struggles collide in a scandal of enormous proportions. Fated together, they must overcome ruin, danger and heartbreak. Will they be able to survive their past or is their future together doomed?

The first book in the Guild of Hybrids series:

I had high hopes for the premise of this book and began reading with great expectation. I am a lover of historical romance with Victorian being one of my favorite periods to read about.  Well into the fourth chapter however, I found the story moving a bit slow, with a lot of the same thoughts being reiterated over, and over.  I found myself frustrated, a bit confused and really hoping that this book would pick up. 

Miss Lavinia Halls,along with her Aunt Cynthia, and Sister Larissa, is a member of a secret society of women called "The Guild of Hybrids", who's mission is to help other women in need. By their motto they don't discriminate and help every women when faced with despair. "Payment is requested beforehand" of course. The Society is not a charity after all.

Lavinia was hired by Lady Clara Stratton to destroy her fiance, Eric Yorke, Viscount Mathieson's reputation. According to Lady Clara she caught Eric trying to compromise her friend, and in an attempt to silence her, he mistreated her. Lavinia takes the assignment and sets on a mission to ruin Eric. 

 The first problem I have is that for Lavinia to not only be a top member of the Guild and a teacher of new members, She didn't verify that the information was true about Eric, before she set out on her mission to destroy him. 

Secondly, her idea's of ruination were a bit ridiculous to me.  I honestly do not see how any of her ideas would ruin him to the point of a justifiable end of his engagement.  He was a Viscount, wealthy and attractive after all.

I liked Eric. He seemed like a real caring gentleman, who unfortunately has the wool pulled over him by two scheming women. 

I did enjoy Eric turning the cards on Lavinia at most of her attempts to humiliate him, and while there was an attraction between them, I felt no real chemistry between them! Eric an Lavinia seemed to have more conversations in their own minds than with each other.

And if Lavinia, stuck out, lifted or raised her chin one more time I was going to scream!!  And then she squared her shoulders and raised that chin in defiance again. AAAARRRGGGHHH!!! 11x in one book. 

  

Lavinia was stubborn and extremely selfish! We read REPEATEDLY, REPEATEDLY, REPEATEDLY, and again I say REPEATEDLY (yeah, repetition is annoying isn't it) through out the book how "The Guild is her utmost priority, and must be protected". Yet Lavinia runs away after the scandal erupts that she has created, and leaves her aunt and sister to deal with her mess.  Even though it is within her power to put a stop to the scandal immediately. She does not and instead continues in her own selfish, reckless behavior. 

and continues to deceive Eric, even after she finds out he was a victim.  Not the actions of a strong empowered woman.

 I did like Lavinia standing up to Lady Clara who is nothing more than a lying Thot!

The book took me longer to read than normal because of the repetition.  By page 147 Lavinia is still having rants with herself about her failure, how she didn't deserve the honor of being a member of the Guild. 

The suspense finally picks up at the end of the book, and I  found myself engaged to see if the "villain", not to give away any spoilers, was truly working for Clara or if she was in on a scheme derived by Cynthia and Larissa to help Erica an Lavinia finally realize and admit their true feelings for one another.  You will have to read the book if you want to find the answer.

One thing I really wanted to know, was what happened to that thot, Clara(I left off the Lady on purpose)after her true nature was revealed. I would have loved to see her get her just deserts!!  We instead are left to wonder what her outcome was.

Would I read book 2?  Yes, because I think Miss Lake does have talent, and Larissa was more real to me than Lavinia.  I would hope Larissa's story moves along with less repetition.

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