[Livro] Blood Magick, de Nora Roberts

 Ler em Português      Read in English

Título em Português:--
Série: Os Primos O’Dwyer #3
Autor(a): Nora Roberts
Editora: --
Páginas: --
Data de Publicação: --

Sinopse:

Branna O'Dwyer has a rich and remarkable life. Her little shop in County Mayo is thriving and her close circle of friends and family have found love and happiness. But Branna's own heart remains closed - to protect herself and the man she loves from a terrible threat. She reached out once to Finbar Burke - and it almost destroyed them both. Fin and Branna have both inherited a gift for magic, but Fin shares his blood with an old and terrible enemy. And so the two friends have kept their distance, both secretly yearning for the impossible. That distance has kept them safe - and unhappy. But as a final battle draws close, Branna and Fin are brought irresistibly together. And while they succumb to the heat between them, there can be no promises for tomorrow…

Opinião:
Blood Magick é o último livro da trilogia dos Primos O’Dwyer e traz-nos a história de Branna e Fin, que em jovens tiveram uma curta relação até que ela descobriu que Fin era descendente do homem que era a causa de todos os seus problemas, um feiticeiro malvado que tentou seduzir Sorcha, de quem Branna, Connor e Iona são descentes.

Mas o que Branna não sabe é que Fin (que sempre lutou pelo lado da luz), não tem só sangue deste feiticeiro. Mas dizer mais seria um spoiler. É interessante ver o arrependimento de Sorcha pela maldição que criou, a luta de toda a família para terminar todo o processo para matar de uma vez por todas este homem/criatura que era um monstro.

É um livro que mostra a luta interior de várias personagens pela sua felicidade como indivíduos e como grupo, toda uma evolução que culmina com um final feliz. Um final apropriado para a série, com muita magia, sedução e romance, amizade e uma nova etapa que começa. Vão deixar saudades.

Title: Blood Magick
Serie: The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy #3
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Piatkus
Pages: 336
Publication date: October 30th 2014

Synopsis:

Branna O'Dwyer has a rich and remarkable life. Her little shop in County Mayo is thriving and her close circle of friends and family have found love and happiness. But Branna's own heart remains closed - to protect herself and the man she loves from a terrible threat. She reached out once to Finbar Burke - and it almost destroyed them both. Fin and Branna have both inherited a gift for magic, but Fin shares his blood with an old and terrible enemy. And so the two friends have kept their distance, both secretly yearning for the impossible. That distance has kept them safe - and unhappy. But as a final battle draws close, Branna and Fin are brought irresistibly together. And while they succumb to the heat between them, there can be no promises for tomorrow…

Review:
Blood Magick is the last book of the Cousins O’Dwyer trilogy and it brings us the story of Branna and Fin, whom as young people had had a romance until she discovered that Fin bared the mark of the man she was doomed to fight, and the cause of all their problems: the evil witch that had tried to seduce Sorcha, from whom Branna, Connor and Iona descended. He was the person that had made them all come together to fight him and at the same time kept them apart.

But what Branna doesn’t know is that Fin (who has always fought on the side of light) doesn’t only carried this sorcerer’s blood – but telling you who he is also a descendant from would be a spoiler. It’s interesting to see Sorcha’s regret for her curse, the fight (both inner and exterior) that this family and friends have to do to end once and for all the malevolent man/creature that was this monstrous wizard.

It’s a book that shows how hard it is to let go of some ideas, and how hard you have to fight for happiness as an individual, but also as a group part of a family, with an evolution that culminates in a happy ending. An appropriate ending, with lots of magic, seduction and romance, friendship and new beginnings. I’ll miss them.

[Livro] My Fair Lover, de Nicole Jordan

 Ler em Português      Read in English

Título em Português:--
Série: Legendary Lovers #5
Autor(a): Nicole Jordan
Editora: Ballantine Books
Páginas: 368
Data de Publicação: 29 de Agosto de 2017

Sinopse:

Lady Katherine Wilde believes she has crushed any lingering romantic feelings toward Brandon Deverill, who spurned her six years ago. And now that the rough-edged rogue needs polishing to claim his inheritance, she's willing to strike a practical bargain: Kate will mold the brash privateer into an acceptable English nobleman if Deverill will safeguard her from brigands on a voyage to recover lost family treasure. However, the soul-melting kiss that seals their agreement just may reignite blazing passion.

Brandon's fortitude was sorely tested when he turned Kate away from his bed all those years ago. Even a rake such as he wouldn't seduce an innocent beauty before sailing into battle. But now that he's inherited a title and must take a suitable bride, he sets his sights on Kate. Though he fiercely desires her, true love is a notion that baffles him--until their adventure turns perilous and Brandon realizes he'd gladly trade his life to save the woman who has captured his heart.

~ Recebemos este livro através do site NetGalley, em troca desta opinião honesta. Obrigada! ~

Opinião:
Há uns bons tempos que não lia nada da Nicole Jordan e já nem me lembrava o quanto gostava das histórias desta autora.

Gostei que tivesse um pouco uma inversão de papéis. Com tantos livros em que são as heroínas a tentarem convencer os heróis a apaixonarem-se por elas, aqui temos o nosso herói a tentar convencer a mulher que ele escolheu a casar-se com ele. Sim, casar, não apaixonar. Porque ele acredita que esses sentimentos estão perdidos depois do seu tempo na guerra. Mas à medida que lemos o livro vemos crescer a atracção e o amor entre as duas personagens, de forma romântica e sedutora.

Brandon Deverill é, como a maioria dos heróis, encantador e sedutor, mas percebe que tem é de ser romântico se quer casar com Katherine Wilde, a casamenteira da família Wilde.

Kate tinha uma paixoneta por Brandon e tentou que ele não fosse para a guerra mas não conseguiu. Agora que ele voltou, ela tenta manter-se imparcial aos seus encantos, mas sem sucesso. Mas Kate não quer um casamento de conveniência e vai apenas casar-se com alguém que esteja apaixonado por ela, tanto como ela por ele. E acredita que Brandon nunca será essa pessoa, tristemente.

Com piratas, viagens marítimas e muito romance à mistura (e toda uma família a conspirar para ajudar esta união), este livro foi uma lufada de ar fresco.

Title: My Fair Lover
Serie: Legendary Lovers #5
Author: Nicole Jordan
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 368
Publication date: August 29th 2017

Synopsis:

Lady Katherine Wilde believes she has crushed any lingering romantic feelings toward Brandon Deverill, who spurned her six years ago. And now that the rough-edged rogue needs polishing to claim his inheritance, she's willing to strike a practical bargain: Kate will mold the brash privateer into an acceptable English nobleman if Deverill will safeguard her from brigands on a voyage to recover lost family treasure. However, the soul-melting kiss that seals their agreement just may reignite blazing passion.

Brandon's fortitude was sorely tested when he turned Kate away from his bed all those years ago. Even a rake such as he wouldn't seduce an innocent beauty before sailing into battle. But now that he's inherited a title and must take a suitable bride, he sets his sights on Kate. Though he fiercely desires her, true love is a notion that baffles him--until their adventure turns perilous and Brandon realizes he'd gladly trade his life to save the woman who has captured his heart.

~ We’ve received this eARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Thank you! ~

Review:
It’s been a while since I read something from Nicole Jordan and I didn’t even remembered how much I liked her stories.

I liked that there was a bit of an inversion of roles. With so many books where the heroines go after the heroes to try and get them to fall in love with them, here we have our hero trying to convince the woman he chose to marry him. Yes, to marry him, not fall in love with him. Because he believes that he can’t feel such strong feelings after his time in the war. But as we read the book, we see their attraction and love grow, in a romantic and seductive way.

Brandon Deverill is, like most heroes, charming and sexy, but he realizes that he needs to be a romantic to marry Katherine Wilde, the family Wilde matchmaker.

Kate had a crush on Brandon and tried to stop him from going to war, but she failed. Now that he’s back, she tried to stay impartial and immune to his charms, but without success. But Kate doesn’t want a marriage of convenience, and she will only marry someone who is in love with her, just as much as she is in love with that man. And she believes that Brandon can never be that person, sadly.

With pirates, sea voyages, and lots of romance, as well as a family that gets together to help this union, this book was a breath of fresh air.

[Livro] A Love To Remember, de Bronwen Evans

Ler em Português Read in English

Título em Português: --
Série:The Disgraced Lords #7
Autor(a): Bronwen Evans
Editora: Loveswept
Páginas:
Data de Publicação: 29 de Agosto de 2017

Sinopse:

For Rose Deverill, one husband was enough. As the wealthy widow of the Duke of Roxborough, she has cultivated an unsavory reputation meant to discourage wife hunters. Thanks to a string of steamy affairs, Rose is perfectly content to be known by polite society as the “Wicked Widow”—until she’s reunited with the man she fell in love with at age fifteen. Their bedroom encounters are scorching, but it breaks Rose’s heart to wonder whether her reckless behavior ruined her for Philip Flagstaff.
The second son of the Earl of Cumberland, Philip never wanted the title. But after Philip’s older brother, Robert, follows him into the Battle of Waterloo, his worst fears come to pass. Now Robert lies in a soldier’s grave, and Philip is determined never to pass on the inheritance to children of his own. Then Rose appears, soothing the pain with her delightful curves and passionate kisses. The notorious Duchess seems to want nothing from him—and yet Philip has never ached to give a woman more.

~ Recebemos este eARC através do NetGalley, em troca desta opinião honesta. Obrigada! ~

Opinião:
A Love to Remember tinha os ingredientes perfeitos: um herói assombrado pelo passado, uma heróina que o ajudaria e fá-lo ver que ele tem hipóteses de ser feliz. É pena que foi no fim foi tudo rapidamente embrulhado com um laço e pronto.

Rose é sempre descrita como uma mulher independente e que não quer casar mas nós leitores só conhecemos como esta mulher que está pronta a casar novamente e que, na minha opinião tem pouco de independente – o que me fez desgostar dela.

Philip é o típico herói torturado que lá fez mais sentido, e que no fim do livro lá percebe que devia ser feliz pelo irmão e viver uma boa vida em sua honra.

O meu problema é que este livro foi maioritariamente contrário ao que a sinopse indicava. E o mistério que tinha eu percebi logo e achei as personagens fracas e, sinceramente, é melhor parar por aqui ou as coisas só pioram.

Resumindo, fiquei desiludida.

Title: A Love To Remember
Serie: The Disgraced Lords #7
Author: Bronwen Evans
Publisher: Loveswept
Pages:
Publication date: August 29th 2017

Synopsis:

For Rose Deverill, one husband was enough. As the wealthy widow of the Duke of Roxborough, she has cultivated an unsavory reputation meant to discourage wife hunters. Thanks to a string of steamy affairs, Rose is perfectly content to be known by polite society as the “Wicked Widow”—until she’s reunited with the man she fell in love with at age fifteen. Their bedroom encounters are scorching, but it breaks Rose’s heart to wonder whether her reckless behavior ruined her for Philip Flagstaff.
The second son of the Earl of Cumberland, Philip never wanted the title. But after Philip’s older brother, Robert, follows him into the Battle of Waterloo, his worst fears come to pass. Now Robert lies in a soldier’s grave, and Philip is determined never to pass on the inheritance to children of his own. Then Rose appears, soothing the pain with her delightful curves and passionate kisses. The notorious Duchess seems to want nothing from him—and yet Philip has never ached to give a woman more.

~ We've received an eARC directly from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest opinion. Thank you! ~

Review:
A Love to Remember had the perfect ingredients: a hero haunted by the past and a heroine who would make him see that he deserves to be happy. Too bad that in the end everything was very quickly wrapped up with a nice bow.

Rose is always described as an independent woman who doesn’t want to get married, but we readers only get to know her when she wants to get married again and, in my opinion, she shows very little of her independence – which made her a character I didn’t particularly liked.

Philip is the typical tortured hero, which made sense, and in the end of the book he gets to the conclusion that he should be happy and honour his brother by having a nice life.

My problem with this book it that it was mainly contrary to the synopsis. And the little mystery it had I figured it out right away. The characters all felt weak to me and, honestly, I should stop now or it will only get worse.

In short, a disappointment.

[Qual a mais deliciosa?] Um Desejo Inevitável

 Ler em Português      Read in English

Capa mais deliciosa: Original (a da esquerda)

Porquê?
Carla: Para ser muito sincera, não gosto de nenhuma. Cada uma delas tem os seus pontos positivos, mas não ultrapassam os negativos. A original ganha pela modelo, mas a Portuguesa pela paleta de cores

Joana: Acho que entre estas duas capas gosto mais da original, o que é algo raro. Mas gosto bastante do título original, parece que quase canta na língua. E gosto como a modelo da capa parece estar completamente em controlo da situação. Já a capa portuguesa não é má, não sou particularmente fã daquela mão no pescoço da modelo e acho que acaba por não ficar tão bem, mesmo tendo tons que me agradam.

E vocês, qual a vossa favorita?

The most delicious cover: The original cover (the one on the left)

Why?
Carla: to be brutally honest, I don't like any of the covers. Both have good things about them, but they don't surpass the bad things. The major point about the original cover is the model, and about the Portuguese cover is the colours.

Joana: I think, for a change, that I prefer the original cover, which is rare. But I really like the original title, how it almost sounds like it sings on your tongue. And I like how the model looks completely in control of the situation. The Portuguese cover, however, is not bad, but I don’t really like how the model’s neck just sits awkwardly in her neck, I don’t think it looks as good as the original, even though I’m quite fond of the colour palette.

And you, which one do you like the most?

•Um desejo inevitável (Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James #2) (Joana)

[Livro] The Wicked Heir, de Elizabeth Michels

 Ler em Português      Read in English

Título em Português: --
Série: Spare Heirs #3
Autor(a): Elizabeth Michels
Editora: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Páginas: 448
Data de Publicação: 4 de Julho de 2017

Sinopse:

The Spare Heirs Society Cordially Invites You to Meet Fallon St. James: The Mastermind
When the love of Lady Isabelle Fairlyn's life is betrothed to her twin sister, Isabelle vows to find a suitable replacement before the end of the season. He must be a talented dancer, have a keen fashion sense, and be perfectly dashing in every way. Fallon St. James is the farthest thing from perfectly anything. As head of the secretive Spare Heirs Society, he must stick to the shadows...even as Isabelle's friendship pulls him reluctantly into the light. But when Isabelle gets involved with the one man who could destroy Spares, Fallon must decide between protecting his life's work―or risking everything to save the woman whose warm smile leaves him breathless.

~ Recebemos este eARC através do site NetGalley. Obrigada! ~

Opinião:
Gostei de ler este livro mas no fim fiquei com a dúvida se esta relação iria durar muito tempo.

Fallon St. James é o “chefe” da sociedade de herdeiros sobresselentes, e tenta controlar e saber tudo – não de uma maneira má, mas apenas como alguém que tem estado sozinho e habitou-se a ter o peso do mundo nos ombros – e entra Isabelle, que mostra que ele não precisa de ser assim, e que tem de aproveitar as coisas boas da vida.

Isabelle é inocente e ingénua, acredita no bem de todas as pessoas e vê o bem mesmo onde ele não existe. E adora arte, passando as suas tardes no Museu Britânico com a colecção de quadros da família, um deles o seu dote.

E no meio disto, Isabelle vê-se no meio de uma vingança de um ex-membro da sociedade de herdeiros sobresselentes, sendo manipulada e enganada. A bem e a mal, o que é o que a magoa. Mesmo que as razões fossem as melhores, Isabelle não é burra e merecia saber a verdade logo de início.

Mas Fallon não desiste de cuidar dela, mesmo sabendo que não cumpre a lista de requisitos de Isabelle para um marido. No fim, Isabelle percebe que só quer de um homem que a ame e cuide dela – e vice-versa.

Com mistério e vinganças, arte e romance, este livro transportou-me para um mundo doce, do qual planeio continuar a fazer parte com os outros livros desta série.

Title: The Wicked Heir
Serie: Spare Heirs #3
Author: Elizabeth Michels
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Pages: 448
Publication date: July 4th 2017

Synopsis:

The Spare Heirs Society Cordially Invites You to Meet Fallon St. James: The Mastermind
When the love of Lady Isabelle Fairlyn's life is betrothed to her twin sister, Isabelle vows to find a suitable replacement before the end of the season. He must be a talented dancer, have a keen fashion sense, and be perfectly dashing in every way. Fallon St. James is the farthest thing from perfectly anything. As head of the secretive Spare Heirs Society, he must stick to the shadows...even as Isabelle's friendship pulls him reluctantly into the light. But when Isabelle gets involved with the one man who could destroy Spares, Fallon must decide between protecting his life's work―or risking everything to save the woman whose warm smile leaves him breathless.

~ We received an eARC through NetGalley. Thank you! ~

Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book but, in the end, I questioned myself about how long would this relationship last.

Fallon St. James is the “boss” of the Spare Heir Society, and he tries to control and know everything – not in a bad way, but simply because he started out alone and got used to having all the weight of the world on his shoulders, not trusting anyone else – queue Isabelle. She showed him that he didn’t need to do it all alone, that he must enjoy the good things in life and not only see it in the eyes of others.

Isabelle is an innocent and a naïve young lady, who believes in the good and sees it even if it’s not there – she always wants to believe a person is its better version. And she loves art, so she spends her afternoons at the British Museum, looking after her family’s collection, especially a painting that will be part of her dowry.

And in the middle of all of this, Isabelle is caught between the vengeance of a former member of the Spar Heir Society, being manipulated and deceived. For good and bad, this is what hurts her. Even if they thought they were doing it with her best interest in mind, Isabelle isn’t dumb and she deserved to know the truth from the start.

But Fallon doesn’t give up trying to take care of her, even knowing he doesn’t fill her list of requirements for a husband. In the end, Isabelle discovers that the only thing she really wanted was someone that would love her and take care of her, and that would allow her to do the same for her loved one.

With mystery and revenge, art and romance, this book took me to a sweet world, one of which I plan to keep being part of by reading the rest of the books in this series – soon, hopefully!

Pôr as mãos na massa [Julho]

 Ler em Português      Read in English

Chegou o verão! Há mais tempo para leituras por esses lados? :D

♥ Juntem-se ao nosso Desafio Mensal de Julho no nosso grupo do Goodreads!

E aqui fica o que fizemos em Junho e o que planeamos fazer em Julho :)

O que se fez em... Junho
[Qual a mais deliciosa?] Lições do Amor
#GuestPost Orgulho e Preconceito, de Jane Austen (por Tânia Gonçalves)

Carla D.

• [Filme] Mulher-Maravilha, de Patty Jenkins

Joana V.

• [Livro] Caminhos do Amor, de Nora Roberts
• [Livro] Addicted to the Duke, de Bronwen Evans
• [Livro] Shadow Spell, de Nora Roberts
• [Livro] Three Weeks With A Princess, de Vanessa Kelly
• [Livro] Blackthorne’s Bride, de Joan Johnston

Propostas para... Julho
Carla D.

• [Livro] A Court of Mist and Fury, de Sarah J. Maas
• [Livro] Organic, de Jadah McCoy
• [Livro] Endless Worlds Volume II: A Collection Of Dark Faerie Tales, de Peter Koevari, Matthew Wright, Ken Mann, James Peters, N.R. Marxsen, Anita Templer, Francis Burns, Renee Marski

Joana V.

• [Livro] The Wicked Heir, de Elizabeth Michels
• [Livro] Blood Magick, de Nora Roberts
• [Livro] My fair lover, de Nicole Jordan
• [Livro] Ensnared, de Rita Stradling

Summer is here!! More time for readings on that side? :D

♥ Don’t forget to join our monthly challenge, it’s already online!

And here it is what we did in June and what we have planned for July :)

What has been done in... June
[Which one is the most delicious?] When the Duke was Wicked
#GuestPost Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (written by Tânia Gonçalves)

Carla D.

• [Film] Wonder Woman, by Patty Jenkins

Joana V.

• [Book] Dark Witch, by Nora Roberts
• [Book] Addicted to the Duke, by Bronwen Evans
• [Book] Shadow Spell, by Nora Roberts
• [Book] Three Weeks With A Princess, de Vanessa Kelly
• [Book] Blackthorne’s Bride, by Joan Johnston

Goals for... July
Carla D.

• [Book] A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas
• [Book] Organic, by Jadah McCoy
• [Book] Endless Worlds Volume II: A Collection Of Dark Faerie Tales, by Peter Koevari, Matthew Wright, Ken Mann, James Peters, N.R. Marxsen, Anita Templer, Francis Burns, Renee Marski

Joana V.

• [Book] The Wicked Heir, by Elizabeth Michels
• [Book] Blood Magick, by Nora Roberts
• [Book] My fair lover, by Nicole Jordan
• [Book] Ensnared, by Rita Stradling