Ransom My Heart by Meg Cabot

Ransom My Heart (2008) (Macmillan)
Meg Cabot
Grade: B--
Genre: medieval romance
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own

TBR RBC 2015: A book by Meg Cabot 

Finnula Craig is the youngest of five sisters and their long-suffering brother, and quite the handful. After their parents died several years ago, Robert has been the head of this family of millers and Finn has only grown more difficult to deal with. A talented archer and hunter, she is a thorn in the local sheriff’s side as she continues to flaunt the law and poach upon the local Earl’s game.

When Finn’s only other unmarried sister lands in trouble, Finn reluctantly agrees to help her out. The local women have taken to ambushing young men and demanding ransom from their families in order to fund local beer-making activities. Finn has no other choice but to take a hostage and hope he’s from a rich family. What Finn doesn’t expect is for her captive to be none other than Hugo Fitzwilliam, the new Earl of Stephensgate. Having just returned from the Holy Land, fighting for King and country, Hugo is sorely tempted by this feisty and audacious slip of a girl who isn’t afraid to sass him. For her part, Finn is just as afraid of losing her freedom as losing her heart …

The Lion's Lady by Julie Garwood

The Lion's Lady (1988) (Pocket Books)
Julie Garwood
Grade: C+
Genre: historical romance
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own
Crown's Spies: (1) The Lion's Lady

Romance RBC 2014: An AAR Top 100 Romance 1994 

No one quite knows where Christina Bennett has mysteriously appeared from, but her beauty, lilting accent and the intrigue that surrounds her takes society by storm. Brought up by the Dakota tribe in the Black Hills of America, it has always been Christina’s destiny to return to England and find her father. Adapting to rigid English customs isn’t easy given her upbringing and more than anything, Christina wishes she were back with her adopted family. 

Lyon, the Marquis of Lyonwood is not fooled or easily side lined by Christina’s charming evasions as his peers are. He knows that something isn’t quite right with Christina’s story and is determined to get to the bottom of her past. When they share a passionate kiss at a society function, Lyon gets a taste of the fiery lioness behind her cool exterior and becomes determined to lure this side of Christina to the surface …

Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard

Mackenzie's Mountain (1988) (Harlequin)

Linda Howard

Grade: A+

Genre: romantic suspense

Sex scenes: hot

Source: own 

Mackenzie Family: (1) Mackenzie's Mountain 

Mary Elizabeth Potter is the new schoolteacher in the tiny town of Ruth, Wyoming and damn good at her job. When she discovers that the school’s brightest pupil dropped out a month before she arrived, she’s determined to find out why and get Joe Mackenzie’s able mind back in the classroom. Blissfully ignorant of the town’s prejudices surrounding the Mackenzie’s Indian heritage and Wolf Mackenzie’s cleared – but no less forgotten – criminal record, Mary marches up the mountain to their home, completely unprepared for what she’s about to find.

Duncan's Bride by Linda Howard

Duncan's Bride (1990) (Harlequin)

Linda Howard

Grade: A+

Genre: contemporary romance

Sex scenes: hot

Source: own 

Patterson-Cannon Family Saga: (1) Duncan's Bride 

Reese Duncan needs a bride and this time, love (or more accurately, lust) won’t be playing a part in the equation. His first wife, April, had been wholly unsuited to ranch life. After two years she fled back to the City, mercilessly taking half of Reese’s ranch in a divorce that almost bankrupted him. Seven years later, he’s almost back in the black and he wants children to carry on his family’s legacy.

Madelyn ‘Maddie’ Patterson is twenty-eight years old and bored of her City life. Her step-brother Robert gave her a job in his company after the death of his father and her mother to help her cope with the loss, but Maddie feels that she has long overstayed her welcome. When she sees Reese’s advert in a newspaper, she intrigued and tempted. She’s always loved country life and she feels that it’s time to settle down and have children. What better way to do it without the hassle of a time-consuming courtship and engagement?

Misbehaving by Tiffany Reisz

Misbehaving (2014) (novella) (Harlequin)

Tiffany Reisz

Grade: A

Genre: contemporary romance / erotica

Sex scenes: HOT - no one writes sex quite like Tiffany Reisz

Source: NetGalley

Beatriz is a translator by day and a sex blogger by night. That’s right: she gets paid to have orgasms. A last-minute plea from her editor has Beatriz agreeing to submit a 1,000 word book review just as she heads off for her foster sister’s wedding. There’s just one problem: the sex-position manual that she’s chosen means that she needs a partner for her orgasms.

Ben is more than willing to take up the job. Five years ago, he  turned down graduation-night sex with Bea and he’s regretted it ever since. Also attending the wedding stag, he won’t be making the same mistake twice. As the pair work through THE MANUAL, will they be able to remember that all this incredible sex is purely for Bea’s work, or will their old feelings be reawakened?

The Secret by Julie Garwood

The Secret (1992) (Simon and Schuster)
Julie Garwood
Grade: A-
Genre: medieval romance
Sex scenes: mild
Source: eBay
Highlands' Lairds: (1) The Secret, (2) Ransom

Judith and Frances Catherine became best friends before they even knew they were natural enemies. The English and Scots don’t mix, but four-year-old girls aren’t ones to understand such feuds and by that point, their friendship is too firm to break. Judith lives in England: six months with her wonderful aunt and uncle near the Scottish border, and the other six months with her unloving mother and drunk uncle Tekel. Her time with Aunt Millicent and Uncle Herbert is the time of year she gets to see Frances Catherine, and the happiest time of her life.

Saving Grace by Julie Garwood

Saving Grace (1993)
Julie Garwood
Grade: A-
Genre: medieval romance
Sex scenes: sweet
Source: own

Married as a child and widowed not long after, Lady Joanna never wanted to marry again. Her husband was a brute of a man, prone to beat and rape her as he liked, channelling his frustration at her barrenness using his fists. He changed the staff every month, so that she would never have the chance to get close to anybody, and her confessor, Bishop Hallwick preached that God viewed women as lower in standing than oxen. Raulf was a favourite of King John, and thus privy to all sorts of damning information – one piece of which Joanna happened to overhear, and could get her killed.

The Pirate's Lady by Julia Knight

The Pirate's Lady (2012)
Julia Knight
Grade: C++
Genre: ship, historical romance
Sex scenes: almost non-existant
Source: NetGalley

The brilliant, uncatchable Van Gast only wants one thing: Joshing Josie. He loves her with every fibre of his being and almost had her, but fate intervened and he’s been chasing her ever since. When Josie comes to save him during a twist and propositions him with a challenge that he can’t resist, Van Gast finds himself doing the chasing once again, hoping to catch the biggest prize of his life …

In Estovan, there are ten thousand gold sharks on Van Gast’s head and looking for a crew isn’t going to be easy when potential crewmates could make so much more simply by turning him in. He leaves it to his friend Holden to put together a crew that are lured more by the chance to work with the infamous Van Gast than the thought of all that money, while he tries to catch up with Josie long enough to discover what on earth she’s planning.

Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught

Whitney, My Love (1985) (I read the 1999 reissue)
Judith McNaught
Grade: C
Genre: historical romance
Sex scenes: that 80s type; controversial rape/almost-rape scene, depending on which version you read

Source: own, second-hand

The wilful and defiant Whitney Stone has driven her father so completely mad with her unashamed and brazen pursuit of the reluctant Paul Sevarin that he has decided to send her away to Paris with her aunt and uncle. Whitney is distraught; she is convinced that Paul is her one-and-only true love and to be separated from him like this (even though Paul has only ever given the impression that Whitney is a spoilt, childish little girl) ruins all her plans for the future she has planned for them. When it becomes clear that Whitney has no choice in the matter, she becomes determined to come back from Paris such a changed woman so that Paul will be falling at her feet begging her to marry him …