Educating Caroline by Patricia Cabot

640121
Grade: B

Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Historcal
Published: 10/30/01
Reviewed by Kate
439 pages

This one read like a soap opera-in the best way possible.  I feel like a who’s who might be the best way to start.

Cast of Characters:
Braden Granville-our hero, aka the Lothario of London
Lady Caroline Linford-our heroine, prim, proper, and, of course, virginal
Lady Jacquelyn Seldon-Braden’s fiance
Marquis of Winchilsea-Caroline’s fiance

Do you have it all straight now?  All right.  Here we go!

We start off with Lady Caroline walking in on the Marquis of Winchilsea (her finance, remember) in the arms (well technically, in the legs) of Lady Jacquelyn (Braden’s fiance).  She’s ready to call off the engagement, but her mother tells her there’s no way she can end it without causing a reputation ending scandal.  Instead, she should use her womanly wiles to make her fiance fall for her.  Which wouldn’t be a bad idea, except Caroline’s not really sure if she has any wiles. 

Braden knows that Lady Jacquelyn has not been faithful to him.  But he can’t call of their engagement without losing a lot of money.  Unless he can prove it, with a name or a witness.  Caroline decides Braden is the perfect person to teach her how to make the Marquis fall in love with her-all hands off of course. In exchange for teaching her, she’ll be his witness against Lady Jacquelyn.

And from that point forward we have the story of Braden and Caroline coming to love one another.  My reading experience was filled with happy smiles, chuckles, gasps of shock and outrage, outright laughs, and contented sighs.  With just enough intrique thrown in, this one kept me turning pages from start to finish.

Thanks to Anne for the recommendation.

Mid Year Check In With Kate

Back in January I set some reading goals for myself and I thought it was time that I update you on how I’m doing.

1.  My first goal was to read 200 books this year.  Not a terribly lofty goal, I’ll admit, since I read just over 200 last year.  However it seems life has stepped in this year.  I am currently at 60 books read this year (gulp!).  I’ll really have to get cracking if I want to meet that goal.  I am going to say that life has kept me away from my books more than usual this year.  Job changes, busier children, house fires.  At least I’ve come to appreciate a day that I can spend quietly reading.

2.  I wanted to read more romantic suspense this year.  At least one a month.  And yeah.  That’s not going to happen.  I’ve read 2-3 of them.  And struggled through each one.  I’m just not ready for that kind of suspense in my life.

3.  The Wallflowers (Lisa Kleypas) challenge from my friend Kay.  It’s a good thing I’m doing this mid-year check, because that’s a goal that I can still meet.  I’ve enjoyed the ones that I’ve read so far.  Memo to self:  get the rest.

4.  An challenge from Anne.  Hey Anne, did you ever give me a challenge?  If so, you’ll need to remind me again what it was.

I have started so many good series this year but sadly for every good book I read, it seems that 5 more get added to my TBR list.  And there’s no way to get caught up.  There are few that I just can’t get out of my mind lately that I wanted to share with you.

The Mountain Masters/Dark Haven series by Cherise Sinclair.  I have re-read the entire series again this year and loved the new addition Edge of the Enforcer.  I wish she could write them faster.

The Naughty Bits series by Joey W. Hill. My biggest complaint is that it’s being released one little part at a time.  Arg!  I want the whole story now.

And I’m looking forward to the latest release by Reece Butler.  No Strings Attached (release date 6/6).

How are your reading goals coming along?

Meet the Baumgartners by Selena Kitt


9306838
Grade: C+
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Mild Kink
Genre: Contemporary, m/f, m/f/f, f/f
Series: The Baumgartners #0
Published: 9/12/10
Reviewed by Kate
85 pages

I’m not really sure where to even start with this one.  Carrie and Maureen are college roommates and lovers and Carrie’s perfectly satisfied until she catches Steve “Doc” Baumgartner masterbating in the shower.  What follows is a sexfest involving the three of them, but especially Carrie and Doc.


To say that this one was steamy and hot would be the understatement of the year.    This is not a book that you read in the living room with the family all around.  They’ll start asking questions about why you’re blushing and sweating.  This is a book that requires privacy for reading.