Carole's Sunday Review: India Black - Carol C Carr

Author: Carol K. Carr

Title: India Black (Madam of Espionage #1)

Genre: Historical Fiction & Mystery

Pages: 296

First Published: November 2010 

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon)

When Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies from a heart attack while visiting her brothel, Madam India Black is unexpectedly thrust into a deadly game between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham carried.

Blackmailed into recovering the missing documents by the British spy known as French, India finds herself dodging Russian agents-and the attraction she starts to feel for the handsome conspirator.

I have been eyeballing this book for a while now especially thanks to Blodeudd and Anachronist reading and reviewing this. When I got a gift card for Christmas, I went on a book binge and bought a few books. Since it was cheap on Amazon, I went ahead and nabbed it up. However, I continued to put it on the back-burner. Why? I have no idea. Other books found itself on my plate and so I pushed it back. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm an idiot of course.

This is a lot like my Pink Carnation series, but instead with a top whore playing spy. Love spies and I love that the government had to turn to this poor chit. Yes, I do feel bad for her. All she wants to do is run her whore house in piece, but the government can play nasty and force her to join or they'll shut her down. What is a girl to do in Victorian England? You must do what you have to do. 

I liked her a lot. She made me laugh with her honesty. It did read as a diary of sorts and I liked it. Maybe not a diary, but more of her writing her tale down. I am curious to see what happens next.

I  did enjoy French. I want to see more of him. I want to learn more him. He was daft some of the time. Do I think they should get together? Maybe....I am unsure, but I do like them working as a team. I am glad, though, that this didn't turn into a romance, I would have lost respect for India if she swooned over French and etc. India is a hardened mistress of her own establishment, so swooning would ruin her character. They do make an epic duo though: The whore and the prime minister's whore of a sort (doesn't matter who the PM is, he is to do whatever he wants for pay...so yes, I call him a whore of the PM). Honestly, she seems to be the brains and he the muscles at some points. 

Speaking of the word "whore". Such a strange word especially back then. Humanity has put such a strong disdain in that word. Its so harsh sounding and ugly. Just thought I'd add that bit.

My biggest complaint was indeed the lack of mystery. It was a mystery, mind you, but it not overly exciting and easily guessable. Especially with the conclusion. Everything seemed for naught. Maybe the next book will have a deeper mystery and challenge India more. Maybe this was a simple one just to warm her up? I am ever so hopeful. 

There also seemed to be some plot holes laying around.

In the end, this was a fun book. I loved the narration style and I loved India. I am interested to read the next one of the series. The mystery was meh and there seemed some plot holes scattered about. I highly recommend this to those that like some intrigue in their historical fictions. Or for those looking for something to shake up their reading. This shall be stamped with 3 stars.

#FitReaders: Weekly Check-In Sept 11 2015 And DNFs

#FitReaders is hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and That’s What I’m Talking About.

Join in :D

Sat, 30 min walk
Sun, 2.45 h walk
Mon. 4 km bike
Tue 30 min walk, 8 bike, 1 h workout class
Wed, 10 km bike and 45 min bike
Thu, 8 km bike, 1 h zumba
Fri, 10 km

Classes have started again, yay.

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DNf time

This bores me, DNF

It seems I did enjoy book 1, but why did it take me 5 years to try more? When it was sitting on my shelf. Cos I started it and it felt just meh

It was six years since I read the last book. I went back and read the review, I said it was ok, but rated it good cos it was easy to read..hmmm, might be the reason I never picked up the next book I had.

It was just meh.

I read book 1 over 5 years ago and thought it was only ok. So this book has been sitting there for years. I gave it a go, but could not push through

I had read 70 pages and realised I was bored. I did not know what I had read, and I had probably skimmed every second page

It did have sort of promise, but I am not gonna read a 600 page ok book. I have other books to read

Taken by the Sheik - Tesco, Phillips and Ross

Three desert Sheikhs. Three captive brides…

Bound by duty to honor their father’s dying wish, three royal brothers must marry their destined brides… by whatever means necessary…

Book 1: Hostage to the Sheikh ~ Mel Teshco

Sheikh Shahzad Salah al Din doesn’t have time for hearts and flowers, not when his parents’ bodies are barely even cold in their graves and his country, Omana, is on the brink of revolt. He has to secure peace by honoring a long ago arrangement to make English rose, Lexi Galvin, his wife. The trouble is strong-willed Lexi isn’t aware of her royal Arab lineage let alone her destiny. There is only one way Shahzad can guarantee she will be his queen … and he isn’t above using force to get it.

Book 2: The Sheikh’s Mistaken Bride ~ Christina Phillips

In order to secure a powerful alliance for his country, Khalid has no choice but to marry a neighboring princess. It’s not what he wants, but duty must come before pleasure. Yet when he meets the beautiful Sanura he changes his mind… only to discover the virgin in his bed is not his destined bride.

Book 3: Sold to the Sheikh ~ Cathleen Ross

He’d paid a fortune for his bride and he was determined to collect, whether she liked it or not. Rafi Salah al Din doesn’t trust easily. In charge of security for his country Omana, he devotes his life to duty. With his parents murdered it is his duty to stabilize his country by finding his parents’ assassin, marry and produce a son to ensure the Salah al Din line lives on. So why does the wife he bought disagree? 

My thoughts:

Book 1: Hostage to the Sheikh ~ Mel Teshco

So...a guy kidnaps you, tells you that you will marry him, and you do him the same day. Being a virgin an all. Ok. I would not jump into bed with my creepy but sexy kidnapper, but maybe Lexi just wants to get laid.

Shahzad was all alpha, bordering on alphahole. Lexi was...malleable. They do it. There is drama and they live happily ever after.

Book 2: The Sheikh’s Mistaken Bride ~ Christina Phillips

This one was better in the doing your kidnapper aspect. There was none of that. Sanura meets a hot guy, they do it. They fall for each other, he shows his chauvinistic worldview. She is all FU! They live happily ever after.

What is with all the alphaholes?

Book 3: Sold to the Sheikh ~ Cathleen Ross

No, no, Rafi. No. In a way I liked him the most, but he was too aggressive, his wife to be; too easy to conquer. I would have liked to see more of a chase.

The book was still good, even if all the women gave in WAY too easy. But then they all were novellas, so they had to give up fast. And the men did border on alphahole. I do like a good sheik story, but, oh I do not know. I like more of a chase. So yes good, but bordering on ok because of easy women and alphaholes. 

ebook, 220 pages
Published December 25th 2014 by melchristinacathleen
Contemporary romance
Own

A taste of heaven - Penny Watson

“Create one perfect bite.”

Good little widow Sophia Brown always follows the rules. When the producer of a cooking competition requests an amuse-bouche, the chefs stick with proteins. Sauces. A savory concoction. She has only one shot to impress the judges on A Taste of Heaven. But in a moment of defiance, she creates an extraordinary dessert, one that combines both the bitter and the sweet, just like her own life.

That one bite changes everything.

After a year grieving for her dead husband, forty-seven-year-old Sophia is finally ready to break out of her shell. Unfortunately, there is a large, angry obstacle standing in her way. Scottish chef Elliott Adamson has a chip on his shoulder the size of Loch Ness, and he’s blocking her path to victory. 

Spurred by her daughters, she embarks on a poignant adventure that takes her from the wildflower fields of Vermont to the wind-swept vista of North Berwick, Scotland. Fear, courage, and inspiration from unlikely places will mark this journey, and Sophia is determined to persevere until the very end.

My thoughts:

A book about 2 older people falling in love! And more. But omg, older people! And with old I mean they are not old, they are just not you know 26 ;) And I like the fact that they are older.

Sophie is 47, a widow with two kids. She loves her garden, to cook, and she was all in all a really nice and sweet woman.

Elliott was 49, a grumpy Scot with a chip on his shoulder. He was all traditional food that looks like crap is the thing! So yes he took some getting used to, Sophie felt that too. And as she started to like him, I started to like him...but maybe a few minutes later.

The book takes place during a cooking contest with a twist. As always it made me hungry. Ohh maybe a few recipes would have been nice. Anyway, they meet, they annoy each other, they annoy each other some more, they slowly start to like each other a tiny but, then a tiny bit more.

It was different. A foodie romance that develops. Two people that are perfect for each other, but can't see it. So, a nice light short romance, that you can just eat up.

I must mention one thing, her daughters seem nice. They need to have a book. I am thinking,..more Scots! Maybe a grumpy sheepfarmer and a ohh a grumpy fisherman. Lol. 

Conclusion:

Enjoyable. Light and fast.

Kindle Edition, 57000 words
Expected publication: September 15th 2015
Contemporary romance
For review