Audio: My favorite things by Lynsay Sands

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 10-29-19

Language: English

Publisher: HarperAudio

Historical romance

For review

All I want

This one was funny. Prudence is trying to get her father to stop gambling (not funny, that man needs help), but what is funny are her antics trying to get into his club and the chaos she creates. The owner has no idea what he is in for

And then fall in love and her dad is saved

3 French Hens

Brianne, a scullery maid, looks just like Lady Joan. So she goes along pretending to be Joan so that Joan can think of a plan to get out of a marriage. No surprise, Joanne falls for the hubbie to be and he does seem wonderful.

And then they loved happily ever after and it all worked out.

The Fairy Godmother

Odel's godmother shows up and says that she now is a fairy godmother and that she will have her married by Xmas.

A castle filled with suitors, a fairy godmother who does magic, and a stranger who shows up and seems the most sane one.

And then they lived happily ever after.

Sweet stories, and they work as they are.

Narration

I always like Justine Eyre, and I do feel that she is perfect for historical romance. I like the feeling and voices she does.

All I Want

With Lady Prudence’s father gambling away the family’s savings, all she wants for Christmas is to haul him away from London’s most notorious gaming hell. Yet the wickedly handsome proprietor, Lord Stockton, refuses to let a lady enter his establishment. Now Pru needs a Christmas miracle to make her wish come true - and to resist succumbing to Stockton’s charms.

Three French Hens

Brinna’s life as a scullery maid changes with the arrival of the castle’s newest guest, Lady Joan. Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, Joan suggests that look-alike Brinna take her place at the Christmas festivities. Suddenly, Brinna finds herself being wooed by a true gentleman, and getting the best Christmas present of all: a new life.

The Fairy Godmother

Odel is told by her godmother that she must marry by Christmas, and even gives her fairy dust to separate the mice from the men. But Odel has sworn off love...until kind and generous Michel catches her eye. He shows Odel how good it can feel to fall in love, but will it be enough to convince Odel to trust her heart?

Tall, Dark and Hungry - Lynsay Sands

It bit: New York hotels cost an arm and a leg, and Terri had flown from England to help plan her cousin's wedding. The new in-laws offered lodging. But they were a weird bunch. There was the sometimes-chipper-sometimes-brooding Lucern, and the wacky stage-actor, Vincent. (She couldn't imagine Broadway casting a hungrier singing-and-dancing Dracula.). And then there was Bastien. Just looking into his eyes, Terri had to admit she was falling for him - someone even taller, darker and hungrier than the other two. She was feeling a mite peckish herself. And if she stayed with him, those bloodsucking hotel owners wouldn't get her! 

My thoughts:

What I missed most in this book was the humour. The other ones had me giggling. This one, well the humour missed its mark, if it was supposed to be humour. It was still good cos it was light, and not PNR serious. So for that it still gets an ok mark, even if it was bordering good sometimes. I just missed the giggling!

Bastien meets Terri. A cousin of Kate who is marrying Bastien's brother. Most of the book takes place during 2 weeks. Terri is helping with the wedding and Bastien is falling for her. And of course at the end there is the usual OMG YOU ARE A VAMP! Drama, well with a twist.

So they help with the wedding. Sees NY. There is kissing, there is more. There is the part that was supposed to be funny? It wasn't. And there is a HEA.

Conclusion:

I still miss the funniness. 

Cover

meh

Mass Market Paperback, Reissue, 372 pages
Published December 1st 2009 by Leisure Books (first published July 1st 2004)
Argeneau #4
Paranormal romance
Own

Single white vampire - Lynsay Sands

Roundhouse Publishing editor Kate C. Leever's first letter to her new author was meant to impress upon him the growing demand for vampire romances. And even though he'd expressed little-to-no desire for any publicity, book tours, or similar, it was clear this was an author just waiting to be broken out - despite himself, if necessary.

When she suggested attending a romance convention his response - unusually quick to arrive - was succinct: 'No.'

But Kate was adamant: Mr Lucern Argeneau was going to attend a romance convention and meet his fans. By hook or by crook, despite his reclusive nature and odd sleep patterns, the surly yet handsome author would attend. And she was sure that, once there, he would reveal himself to be a true charmer.

Of course, that was before she realised that his 'romances' were more like biographies, and it's literally her neck on the line...

My thoughts:

I have reached that conclusion before, but funny pnr still works for me! Why? Well it doesn't take itself so seriously. You know the epic. "OMG we are soulmates, but alas I am betrothed to the evil witch queen of Agrabad and you are only a human. But we shall be together, and do it like 100 times a day. This I promise thee my tasty human." So, this was not that. There was no instalove. She found him So annoying. He just thought she might be tasty to drink. There wasn't even any instamating. Sure, he could not hear her thoughts, but that does not mean she was the only person in the world this would be true for.

The story is about Luc, a "vampire" (ok so he is not really a vamp, he is Atlantian and the nanos inside him makes him live longer, heal fast, and he needs blood for them to work.) He is a romance writer (he wrote biographies ;). His editor Kate is hounding him to go to anything really to meet his fans. So he will. And they will fall in love and live happily ever after.

Conclusion:

I did like the humour. It made me giggle. 

Cover

Eh

Paperback, 369 pages
Published February 25th 2010 by Gollancz (first published September 1st 2003)
Argeneau #3
Paranormal romance
Own

Highlander Romance Wednesday x3

He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart—until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistible challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at arm's length—but his sweet seduction played havoc with her resolve.

She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite within her. Not even the barriers of time and space would keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about following the promptings of her own passionate heart, Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side... 

My thoughts:

I wanted to knock these two over the head and lock them in a room, until they gave in and did it. Cos really! Omg, he has issues, she has issues.

Hawk is loved by all women, and a women scorned is not to be played with.

Adrienne is from the future and falls into 1513. Of course she is all WTF!!?! Luckily she can speak with a brogue, gods, wasn't that lucky for her! She also hates pretty men cos her last boyfriend was an ass.

They are married. She refuse him, he is all you are mine! She is all, I have seen prettier! He is all mine wench! But never to extremes, except for later on when I was ...that is the way you wanna play it? You'd lose me there. Still he is kind and she is stubborn. Why he fell in love, hmmm, cos she was stubborn?

Spoiler

[ I am sorry? She is a virgin? How the f is that possible? She had a boyfriend. She is pretty. They never did it? Ok whatever. ]

It was amusing to see their dance of wills.

Mass Market Paperback, 375 pages
Published May 29th 2007 by Dell (first published March 9th 1999)
Highlander #1
Historical paranormal romance
Own

Darroc MacConacher spends sleepless nights dreaming of a raven-haired beauty who makes him ache with desire. Then his dream comes true: the lady with her lush curves and fair skin appears shipwrecked on his shores. Darroc is immediately drawn to her strength and beauty, and from the moment she lays eyes on this powerful, broad-shouldered warrior, Lady Arabella MacKenzie knows she'll never want another man. 

But theirs is a forbidden love. The MacKenzies drove the MacConachers from their lands and destroyed their honor. Now, Darroc can use this sapphire-eyed seductress to shatter his foes. Yet how can he deny the passion that burns between him and Arabella, and ruin the one woman who touches his very soul? 

My thoughts:

I was afraid I would think Darroc was an ass. But he wasn't! Let me explain ;)

Darroc hates the MacKenzies, they drove them to a godforsaken crappy island. He haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaates them!

Arabella is on of the hated Mackenzies and she is shipwrecked on his island. And this made me all NOOOOO! I was afraid he would be all, haha, I will seduce her, leave her, and then in the end she still would crawl back. And I would be all no!!!!!

But instead we have a lovely story about she charms everyone. They get that she is not evil, even if her grandfather did something bad. She starts to fall for Darroc. There is talk about vikings (no more vikings then, but whatever.) The island sounds horrible. There is traces of old magic spun through the story. I liked that.

But of course they wont have it easy. Their families are feuding. He is an ass (but in a good way) and love wins.

Paperback, 375 pages
Published October 1st 2009 by Forever
MacKenzie #7
Historical romance
Own

She was ready to let her heart run wild . . . Merry Stewart has had enough! Enough of her brothers, whose behavior would make even the most improper lady blush. Enough of their Highland home, which would surely have fallen to ruin were it not for her. She dreams of escaping into the arms of her betrothed, Alexander d'Aumesbery;even though they haven't yet met. But when they do, Merry is devastated. It seems he's no better than the men in her family. 

So beautiful, so brazen . . . From the moment he meets Merry, Alexander is determined to make her his. Desperate to convince her he's nothing like the members of her roguish clan, he will prove he is every bit the well-mannered gentleman. Yet, beneath it all beats a heart as intense and uncontrollable as hers. And finally, when his life is threatened, Merry realizes he's the husband she's been waiting for . . . and their passion becomes the one thing that cannot be tamed.

My thoughts:

Highlanders! That was enough for me. Though how disappointing, the hero was English. Boooo.

Merry has idiots for a family. They drink and do nothing else. One would think they would have had liver failure by now, or some other clan would have attacked.

Alex is back from the crusades. His bride arrives. Well I got nothing bad to say about Alex. He was nice.

Merry Merry Merry, she really is a judgmental shrew. Also, the almost rape of her husband and touching was just, icky. Ewww. She was one weird woman. Weirdo.

But hey they will fall in love and live happily ever after. But before that someone is after Alex, who?

It was fun for a quick romance. But, they sure bathed a lot for this period. Bathing bathing, and one would think that growing up with animals she would understand that men like animals might have something growing. But hey maybe she never noticed. Never saw a bull, or a horse, or even a freaking dog.

Mass Market Paperback, 371 pages
Published January 26th 2010 by Avon
Devil of the Highlands #2
Historical romance
own

Review: Vampire, Interrupted - Lynsay Sands

After seven hundred years of life, Marguerite Argeneau finally has a career. Well, the start of one, anyway. She's training to be a private investigator, and her first assignment is to find an immortal's mother. It seemed simple enough, until Marguerite wakes up one evening to find herself at the wrong end of a sword. Now she realizes she's in way over her head.

Julius Notte wants to protect Marguerite, and not because someone just tried to take her head off. She doesn't know it yet, but she's his lifemate and he's determined to woo her. It's been over five hundred years since he last courted a woman, but surely the techniques haven't changed. Now if only he can keep her alive—so to speak—so they can have that happily-ever-after.

Series: Argeneau #9, Genre: Paranormal romance, Published: April 2012 (2008) by Gollancz, Source: For review

My thoughts:

I wanted to read Marguerite's book ever since I met her. After 700 years of misery she deserved to find her life-mate and have her HEA. And now I finally got to see her find it and it was fun.

What Sands does best is making the books light, all while making them exciting and passionate. In this one Marguerite is trying to find a woman and someone does not want that do happen. Even as someone is trying to kill her there is still that lightness over the book and I like that. I also like that the books feel safe, and I always enjoy them. You can't go wrong with the Argenau vampire books.

Marguerite is a 700 old immortal who was turned by her Immortal Atlantis husband and he was a creep. She has taken care of her children and nieces and nephews. She loves her family and I always did like her. The hero is Julius Notte, an Immortal who does not want his son to find his mother. Some things are better left unsaid. At first it did annoy me, but trust me, he did all the right things. And these two are meant to be. As always there is a struggle cos poor Marguerite does not want anyone controlling her. But what would a book be without a bit of struggle.

The book was all that I wanted it to be, and it was actually more. I was so surprised at something and I went omg. The other big thing is that for the first time I also felt sorry for Marguerite's dead husband Jean Claude, and that was something I never thought would happen. This book was all surprises. 

Conclusion:

Light and passionate. Lynsay Sands books are perfect when you just want to relax and be swept away. I read it in no time at all and as there is a big family tree there is always more to look forward to.

Review: Vampires are Forever - Lynsay Sands

Inez Urso is beginning to have her doubts. Her business associate Thomas Argeneau has some interesting traits, like an allergic reaction to the sun, excellent night vision, and not much of an appetite for food. And to top it all off, he just tried to bite her neck . . . but maybe that was a sign of passion. If so, she'd be happy to experience more, despite her determination not to mix business with pleasure.

Well, if not forever, at least two hundred years. Inez is the most beautiful woman he's seen in centuries. Those luscious lips, seductive curves, and her elegant neck . . . he just couldn't resist the temptation of one little bite. Now Thomas will do anything to convince her that only an immortal like him can satisfy her all night long . . .

Series: Argeneau #8, Genre: Paranormal romance, Pages: 384, Published: March 2012, Publisher: Gollancz, Source: For review

My thoughts:

Like always, Sands writes them light and passionate, and I really like it. It's a great formula because I can just sit down with the book and read and read. They are relaxing.

And this might be my favorite to date. I do not what made it so, perhaps it was Thomas, a nice hottie. Or perhaps it was Inez, a curvy woman who lives for her job. Together they were perfect. As always the passion is sizzling between these too and what is there not to like when Thomas bites her a bit too quickly and finds out that she is his lifemate. Trouble in sight. And she is not a woman to stand by and do nothing.

The story then, here it's about finding Marguerite who is missing and that hunt takes them over England and to Amsterdam. I have been waiting a while for Marguerite's book now and I am happy to say that it's number 9 so soon I will see if she can find happiness too.

Fun and light, passion and suspense, that is all promised in this book. And hearing about the fall of Atlantis again sure makes me want a book about that. Now that would be cool, but that's ok, I can live in the present. 

Conclusion:

It turned out just as I hoped it would. A good book to keep me company, and vampires sure are forever. Sands keeps on being good.

Cover:

He is a hottie, I will give him that.

-------------------------------

Come say hi :)
I am over at Book Lovers Inc today with a review of Sweet Little Lies by Alison Bond

Review: The Accidental Vampire - Lynsay Sands

Series: Argeneau #7
Genre: Paranormal romance
Pages: 384
Published: February 2012
Publisher: Gollancz
Source: For review
Ever since an accident turned her into a knockout vamp, Elvi Black's been catching her z's in a coffin, staying out of the sun, and giving up garlic. She knows there's more to being undead than what she saw in Dracula, but she can't very well ask her mortal friends about proper biting etiquette. But when her neighbors placed a personal ad for her in the local paper, she never imagined she'd meet Victor Argeneau, a vampire who could have his pick of any woman; dead or alive.

Rich, powerful, and dropdead gorgeous, Victor's the perfect man for a novice neck-biter like Elvi. He's willing to teach her everything he knows, but he'll have to do it fast. Someone's out to put a stake through her new vamp life, and only Victor can keep her safe - and satisfied; for all eternity.

My thoughts:

I do like how fast I read these Argeneau books, I start them, and then I just continue until I am finished. A fast, good book.

It's book 7, but this is a series that you can jump around a bit in. Still book 1 explains the nano thing fully, sure it is explained here too so if you want to, then jump right in and read this one. The book also has a map of all the members in this big family, and this is good.

How on earth Elvi was not noticed before I do not know. Small towns I guess. Yes she is the resident vampire, now that is a nice little town I would like to visit where they are so nice against the undead who craves blood. And this is one of the fun things about this book. Elvi does not know anything about vampires. She thinks they are soulless, likes coffins and all those myths we all know so well. But these vampires are not really vampires and she will learn her lesson. She was nice, because she was so lost when it came to all of this. 

Then we got the hero, Victor, who is old as dirt and comes to town as he is an enforces and Elvi, well she is breaking a lot of laws. But there will be passion, other suitors and someone else in this book will find love too. A story I really liked.

Conclusion:

Fun and light is the word. A nice lovestory about how an accidental vampire finds love.

Cover:

Ok

Review: Bite Me if you Can - Lynsay Sands

One minute Leigh is walking home in the early hours of the morning, and the next a vampire is sinking his teeth into her neck. Turns out it was a rogue vampire marked for termination, but it does Leigh little good because the damage's already been done. She's become one of THEM.

Lucian Argeneau, hunter of rogue vampires, has been alive for over two thousand years, and there's very little to excite him anymore. Food has become tasteless, sex is ordinary. Then Leigh drops into his life. Suddenly he finds himself craving coffee...and imagining the sassy brunette stop the black satin sheets on his nice big bed. It's Lucian's job now to enlighten Leigh on the inner workings of being immortal...and tutoring her is igniting a fire in him that hasn't burned in centuries. But until they stop a renegde bloodsucker from destroying the human race, passion will have to wait.

My thoughts:

Another good and light Argeneau vampire novel. I truly like that about this series. And once again, this one can easily be read as a standalone novel. I have only read 3 out of 6, but it works. There is a new couple  in each, and the whole vampire thing is explained to the newbies.  Trust me on this.

In this one a woman, Leigh is out walking and gets attacked. Luckily for her Lucian comes to the rescue as he is hunting down her attacker. Since she is bitten he explains things to her *coughs*, ok he tries, he calls in help, and he is pretty bad at the whole thing. That is what I liked most about him, for someone among the oldest in the world (talking BC here), he is pretty bad at certain things. He is the grumpy grandpa that has given up on sex and food, since why bother at all. What can I say, I liked him, especially in one scene where he buys books about how to talk to woman. Leigh then, well she comes to term with the whole vampire/nano thing pretty fast. But she has been hurt by a man in the past so she is not that keen on falling in love, or lust with anyone.

These books are light, there is some humour, and there is some passion. I just sat down and read it fast, and I do like books like that. You can just relax, sit back and read a cute story about a couple falling in love. Though as always there is some danger in them too, here it's the guy that bit her and he will be back at the end.

What next, well I would really like to see Marguerite's book. That would be fun (nr 9 it seems ;)

Conclusion:

The whole vampire thing is still interesting, I do like the story of Atlantis and how "vampires" were created. The lightness and humour in the books make them fun reads. Cute and fast.

Rating:

They are enjoyable

Reason for reading:

Wanted to read more

Cover: 

I am not a fan of them, but they are nice, cos that guy is hot

Info

Series: Argeneau 6

Genre: Paranormal romance

Pages: 368

Publisher: Gollancz, February 10th 2011 (re-print)

Review: A bite to Remember - Lynsay Sands

Argenau, book 5

Genre: Paranormal romance
Pages: 400
Published: January 2011 Gollancz

Rule #1: Never get involved with someone who won't be there for you when the sun comes up.

Once bitten, twice shy, and sexy PI Jackie Morrisey wasn't going there again. Vincent Argeneau may be the hottest guy she's ever met, living or dead, but she's here to stop a killer from turning this vampire into dust, not to jump into bed with him.

Rule #2: Never kiss a vampire...it can be a pain in the neck.

Okay, so Vincent's had four hundred years to perfect his kissing skills, and he does look rather tempting when he runs around the house shirtless. He's also charming, protective...did we mention he can kiss? Jackie needs to be on her guard, or else she'll have to come up with a new rule:

If you're going to fall in love with a vampire, make sure it's a bite to remember.

Plot:

Someone is sabotaging Vincent's plays and to his rescue comes a female PI, sexy, mortal, and with a bit of grudge against immortals. Then his aunt shows up too, because she is afraid that he is lonely and depressed.And she is hinting about life mates.

My thoughts:

Shall I state my do not worry OCD peeps message again, ok. I read book 1 and now I read this one. Were there books in between yes, Vincent's aunt mentioned that his cousins had found life mates but that was it. And the nano thing was explained again and some other things. This book was a perfect stand alone novel. Trust me on this.

Vincent then, an actor, 400 years old, and a bit tired of the hunt, and even sex. He has a disorder that the nanos can't fix. He needs to feed from a source, not bag of blood. He is a hottie, nice and cheery around others. Jackie is all business, good at what she does, and she has been bitten before and doesn't have happy memories of her old lover. But there was chemistry between this couple, even if it took some time for them to act on it.

There is saboteur and the hunt for this person. I kept wondering who it could be, and things will happen. That is all I am saying.

This series is still very light, and with subtle humour here and there. Some romance, passion, danger, and interesting vampires. There was also one great side character and that was Jackie's associate Tiny, this huge guy who loved to work in the kitchen. I could just see him baking his muffins.

Recommendation and final thoughts:

I like this light series, and the Argeneau family. They have a rich history and there are sure certain members of the family whose stories I would like to read. I also liked how easy it was to just jump into this series.

Reason for reading:

I read book 1

Cover:
Ok so i am not a fan of the just face covers, but he does have a very handsome face

Review: A Quick Bite - Lynsay Sands

Argeneau, book 1

Genre: Paranormal romance
Pages: 400
UK PB: Published: December 2010 Gollancz

That hot guy tied to Lissianna Argeneau's bed? He's not dessert - he's the main course!

Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. But there's another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sight of blood... An especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Of course it doesn't hurt that this man has a delicious-looking neck. What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that?

Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger's bedroom pretty quickly - once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor to find true love with a vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal? That's a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into... If he can just get Lissianna to bite.

Plot:

The Blurb does say it all.

My thoughts:

This one was on the lighter side of paranormal romance. Sure there was some passion and danger, but there was also this light vibe and some humour.

I liked the plot idea. Lissianna is an 200 year old vampire, she has no problem biting down on a neck but in these modern times most blood comes in bad. And Lissi has one big problem, she faints at teh sight of blood. Her mother kidnaps a hunky men and leaves him on her bed, the doctor to fix her problems. A sexy doctor that makes her long for a bit more.

Lissi was nice, and after delving deeper into her past I understand her fear of blood. Greg was understanding, well, after a while, and they seemed to good for each other. But being immortal is not that easy when it comes to men.

And there I come into the best part of the book, the vampires. Not silly cross fearing, no shadows bloodsuckers here. No there is a good scientific reason; Atlantis, scientist, nanobots into bloodstreams to cure illness, and those same nanos were just too good. Which left the people almost immortal, but in a need of blood not to die. The same nanos can be transferred from mother to child, and if you find you perfect mate. There you got, vampires created by mistake by a superior people. I loved the originality of this.

The tone is light, and had me reading fast. One thing did bother me, a certain danger that emerged and that was so obvious but that Lissi did not see. But then she did have Mr Hunk on her mind so I forgive her.

My recommendation and final thoughts:

I liked this book, and it is a series that I would recommend. There are still lots of single vamps that need to find true love, and I wonder what dangers might emerge. A 3,5 with a promise of more to come. I enjoyed this story, and I sure enjoyed the background for the story. It was a sweet story, throw in some passion and mix with one big nosy family.

Reason for reading:

Sounded fun

Cover:
She does look really sweet and that fits Lissi.