The Sweetest Blouse & The Princess and the Peach Dress

Hear a Pin Dot Drop Shirt

The Princess and the Peach Dress

Riding Jacket

For all you avid equestrians, I present the Portobello Rose beige button front riding style jacket. 

Romantic Regency Jewelry

Perhaps this doesn't have the usual glittering diamond encrusted necklaces heroes present to heroines in the novels, but this simple and elegant pearl-like necklace with two peach flowers made me think of the Regency period...what do you think?

Juliet Gown by Claire Pettibone

This gown may be considered risqué by the ton but it is another marvelous creation by Ms. Claire Pettibone!  Embroidery scattered with organza roses layered over chantilly lace and blush silk charmeuse. Empire silhouette with tulle "shawl".

Wicked Surrender by Jade Lee

Rating: 3/5


The unique plotline definitely intrigued me and gave this novel potential to be, at the very least, interesting..but somehow a lot of things didn't ring true for me.  


Scheherazade Martin, aka Scher, is the owner and manager of a playhouse.  Many of the ton label her an actress and, of course, she knows that she is not anywhere in their league.  Unfortunately, what she desires the most is a stable, respected family life for security reasons.  Enter Kit Frazier, the lesser son of a nobleman.  He proposes marriage to her and she feels that with that, all her dreams of the respectable family life is fulfilled.  She doesn't quite love him like she should but she's content with that.  


Should readers think that the list of main characters end there, they are wrong.  Enter Viscount Blackstone, aka Brandon, cousin to Kit.  He desires Scher and knows that she desires him too.  Initially sent out on a mission to dissuade the possible union between Kit and Scher, Brandon finds that he cares too much about Scher's happiness to ruin her dreams.  He pursues her still but at the same time, keeps the distance Scher desires.  Brandon's life is a complication all its own, as he has his own deep dark secrets.  


Short of spoiling the book for readers, I will just have to say that I was sadly disappointed with this novel.  The writing was done well but the motivations and obstacles for the characters a little weak.  I expected better of the characters, specifically Scher and Brandon, after learning about them.  Both were portrayed as strong, independent, and smart but when it came down to their specific situations, they didn't always act the part.  Understandably, we all weaken at certain moments in our lives but they never ever really impressed me with their supposed strengths.

Emma Gown by Claire Pettibone

If ever there was a bluestocking's dream wedding dress, I think it would be this gorgeous Regency-inspired confection by Claire Pettibone appropriately labeled 'Emma'.

Dusty rose and pewter embroidered empire silhouette with flowing blush silk and tulle skirt.

An Invitation To Sin by Suzanne Enoch

Rating: 3/5

As a portrait artist myself, I enjoyed the fact that the main character, Caroline Witfeld is an aspiring artist who hopes to join the ranks of artists at an Italian art academy.  As a romance novel fanaticist, I was a bit underwhelmed by the romance...

In an attempt to distract his brother from his idea of joining the army, the Duke of Melbourne sends his younger brother, Lord Zachary Griffin to escort his aunt to Bath.  On the way, they detour and stop by a quaint family in the country with seven marriageable daughters.  Chagrined, to say the least, Lord Zachary hopes to survive his stay with this family to prove to his brother that he can survive whatever is thrown at him.... and then join the army.  

Although a fan of Ms. Enoch, I found myself questioning the romance in this story.  It felt a bit forced..as with most romances where one is attracted to the other simply due to non-interest.  In this novel, it seemed to me that Lord Zachary was mostly interested in Caroline because she was the only one of the seven daughters who did not display explicit interest in Zachary.  Simply said, she was hard to get for him.  Whereas her sisters ooh'ed and aah'ed over Zachary, Caroline was mostly interested in him only because she wanted to do a portrait of him and send it to her beloved art academy to prove that she was a worthy artist who did portraits of important people...and due to his status as the brother of a duke, Zachary was an important enough person. 

The writing was decent but I felt the sizzle, passion, pizazz (take your pick) was definitely lacking in the interactions between the two lovebirds.  

If you're interested in testing Ms. Enoch's books, I would recommend a previously reviewed book: After The Kiss.