Category Archives: Victoria Alexander

December 16, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl by Victoria Alexander

Title: The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl by Victoria Alexander
Lady Travelers Society Series Book Three
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length:384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Set sail for love in this sparkling new adventure in #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander’s Lady Travelers Society series.

Harry Armstrong has spent years in Egypt, recovering relics and disregarding rules. Now he’s back in England with a new title and a new purpose: penning his exploits. But his efforts are overshadowed by London’s favorite writer about Egypt—a woman they call The Queen of the Desert, of all things. Worse, her stories—serialized in newspapers and reprinted in books—are complete rubbish.

Miss Sidney Honeywell didn’t set out to deceive anyone. It’s not her fault readers assumed her Tales of a Lady Adventurer in Egypt were real! Admitting her inadvertent deception now would destroy her reputation and her livelihood. But when the Earl of Brenton challenges her to travel to Egypt to prove her expertise, accompanied by his dashing, arrogant nephew, what choice does she have but to pack her bags?

With the matchmaking founders of the Lady Travelers Society in tow, Harry is determined to expose Sidney’s secret. But the truth might not be as great a revelation as discovering that love can strike even the most stubborn of hearts.

Review:

The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl by Victoria Alexander is a delightfully engaging historical romance. This newest addition to the Lady Travelers Society series can be read as a standalone but I also HIGHLY recommend the previous two installments as well.

Writing under the pen name Mrs. Gordon, Miss Sidney Honeywell is the author of a much loved series  about adventures set  in Egypt. She uses her grandmother’s journals about her travels and searches for Egyptian artifacts and Sidney’s readers erroneously believe her stories are based on her own experiences. Sidney is in danger of being exposed by the Earl of Brenton whose letters to the newspaper accuse her of a being a fraud. The newspaper insists Sidney and the Earl’s nephew, Harry Armstrong, journey together to Egypt to prove she is, in fact, an expert on the country and its artifacts. Joining them on their trip are Sidney’s elderly friends, Lady Gwen Blodgett,  Mrs. Poppy Fitzhew-Wellmore and Mrs. Effie Higginbotham and newspaper reporter, Daniel Corbin.  Will Sidney save her career? Will Harry’s secrets (both past and present) be revealed?

Sidney has much more gumption than she believes and she refuses to allow Harry to uncover the truth that could destroy her career. She is surprisingly headstrong as she stands up to him on numerous occasions. Although Poppy, Gwen and Effie are rather mischievous, Sidney is quite protective of them when they devise and carry out schemes that are well-intentioned but not always wise. She enjoys verbally sparring and matching wits with Harry.

Harry’s reasons for challenging Sidney’s authenticity do not exactly paint him in the best light. He is somewhat jealous of her success since he has been unable to garner interest in his writings on his Egyptian adventures.  He and his good friend Ben Deare quickly deduce some intriguing information about Sidney’s stories that is rather puzzling. Harry has also not been completely honest with Sidney and some of his omissions are quickly uncovered upon their arrival in Egypt.

As Harry gets to know Sidney better, he begins to have regrets about his attempt to discredit her. Their relationship does not take long to go from antagonistic to an uneasy friendship. Their awareness of each other gives way to a mutual attraction that simmers under the surface until they join forces and work together. Harry respects Sidney and he is quite impressed with her unexpected discovery, but he is still quite protective of her. Sidney refuses to allow Harry to coddle her and they work well together as a team. Will revelations about a secret Harry is hiding derail their burgeoning romance?

The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl is a captivating romance with a cast of charming characters and an engrossing storyline. Sidney and Harry are endearing characters who learn unexpected things about themselves once their journey is underway. Poppy, Effie and Gwen are fun characters who add plenty of humor to unfolding story.  Victoria Alexander brings the setting vividly to life through her descriptive prose and meticulous research.  An absolutely marvelous addition to the Lady Travelers Society series that old and new fans are sure to love.

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Filed under Harlequin, Historical, HQN Books, Lady Travelers Society Series, Rated B+, Review, Romance, The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl, Victoria Alexander

December 21, 2017 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger by Victoria Alexander

Title: The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger by Victoria Alexander
Lady Travelers Society Series Book Two
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length: 404 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Join the Lady Travelers Society in their latest romantic misadventure, from #1 New York Timesbestselling author Victoria Alexander

She must secure her future

A lady should never be obliged to think of matters financial! But when Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe’s carefree, extravagant lifestyle vanishes with the demise of her husband, her only hope lies in retrieving a family treasure—a Renaissance masterpiece currently in the hands of a cunning art collector in Venice. Thankfully, the Lady Travelers Society has orchestrated a clever plan to get Willie to Europe, leading a tour of mothers and daughters…and one curiously attentive man.

He must reclaim his heritage

Dante Augustus Montague’s one passion has long been his family’s art collection. He’s finally tracked a long-lost painting to the enchanting Lady Bascombe. Convinced that the canvas had been stolen, he will use any means to reclaim his birthright—including deception. But how long before pretend infatuation gives way to genuine desire?

Now they’re rivals for a prize that will change everything

Willie and Dante know they’re playing with fire in the magical moonlit city. Their common quest could compromise them both…or lead them to happily-ever-after.

Review:

The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger  by Victoria Alexander is a giggle-inducing and heartwarming historical romance. This second installment in the Lady Travelers Society series can easily be read as a standalone.

Lady Wilhelmina “Willie” Bascombe is finally ready to return to society after living in seclusion for the past two years following her husband George’s tragic loss.  George’s unfortunate death has been a huge wake-up call for Willie who enjoyed but never questioned their carefree, frivolous and lavish lifestyle. She has paid off all of George’s debts except for one: unbeknownst to  Willie, he used a painting her grandmother left to her as collateral for a loan from an Italian art collector. Now destitute, Willie is hosting a group of mothers and daughters on a small European tour that will take her to Italy where she plans to pay off the debt and reclaim the painting.  Upon her return to England, she will auction off the painting and live off the proceeds.

However, Willie is unaware that Dante Montague also has a vested interest in locating the painting since he believes it rightfully belongs to his family. After he convinces his sister Roz and her daughter to sign up for the tour, he accompanies them so he can keep an eye Willie while he schemes to swoop in and snag the painting from under her.

Dante is intrigued by his beautiful, intrepid tour guide right from the beginning, but Willie initially thinks Dante is staid and stuffy. After her shocking discoveries about her and George’s finances, Willie has no intention of ever depending on a man to take care of her. She is fiercely independent and afraid of making another mistake so she is very cautious about acting on her surprising attraction to Dante. Dante gets up caught up in their mutual desire for each other and he makes a huge error in judgment that puts the couple’s future in jeopardy when Willie stumbles onto his secret. Even with the helpful advice of her new group of friends, Willie’s fears prevent her from  giving up on her plan to ensure her financial future.

The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger is a fun-filled, zany adventure that takes Willie, Dante and the rest of the tour to many exciting and romantic locations.  Victoria Alexander easily captures readers attention in this engaging historical romance that has a cast of lovable characters. The enchanting descriptions of the various stops on their journey bring the story vibrantly to life. The banter between the various characters is often laugh out loud funny yet also interspersed with thought-provoking observations. The romance between Willie and Dante is sizzling hot but full of complications. Another wonderful installment in the delightful Lady Travelers Society series that old and new fans are sure to love.

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Filed under Harlequin, Historical, HQN Books, Lady Travelers Society Series, Rated B, Review, Romance, The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger, Victoria Alexander

June 14, 2017 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander

Title: The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander
The Lady Travelers Guide Series Book One
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length: 544 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Embark on the breathtaking romantic adventures of The Lady Travelers Society in the brand-new series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander 

Really, it’s too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders’s favorite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what’s a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he’s escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative.

While India Prendergast only suspects his organization defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart.

Free bonus story included in this volume! Don’t miss The Proper Way to Stop a Wedding (in Seven Days or Less), a The Lady Travelers Guide novella.

Review:

Brimming with humor and set against the backdrop of Paris, The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander is a highly entertaining historical romance. The Lady Travelers Guide series is off to a strong beginning with this first full-length novel that stars a marvelous cast of characters.

India Prendergrast is incredibly worried when she stops receiving letters from her cousin Lady Heloise Snuggs. Heloise booked her adventurous trip through the Lady Travlers Society and when her inquiries about her cousin go unanswered, India is convinced the society is defrauding its members of their money.  She is also certain the widows who run the organization are a front for the real mastermind of the nefarious scheme.  When she discovers Derek Saunders discussing Heloise with the club’s founders, Lady Guinevere Blodgett and her two best friends, India is convinced her suspicions have been confirmed. However, unbeknownst to India, Derek has figured out what the ladies are up to and he is determined to protect his aunt and her friends from any legal repercussions from their actions. India and Derek join forces to find Heloise and their first stop is Paris, but locating the missing woman amongst the crowd of visitors enjoying the World’s Fair is a daunting task. Will Derek be able to stall India long enough for his uncle’s detectives to locate her missing cousin?

India is a very independent and no nonsense young woman. Unlike most women of the time period, she has no interest in marrying so she works for Sir Martin Luckthorne as his secretarial assistant. She is extremely well-organized with a fairly rigid viewpoint of life.  Convinced she is always right, India tends to rub people the wrong way with her propensity to speak her mind and her unbending attitude.

Derek is in line to inherit his family’s title and he has recently begun to change his rakish ways.  In order to clean up his reputation, he has been working on his uncle’s estate and much to his surprise, he finds he is enjoying his new duties. Very protective of his great aunt, he will do whatever it takes to prevent the truth about her scam from becoming known.

Derek and India rub each other the wrong way right from their very first meeting. Derek thinks she is opinionated and unbending; India views him as an unrepentant scoundrel. As they begin their search for Heloise, they bicker endlessly as they trek from one hotel to another. Derek convinces India to take time to savor the beauty sights of Paris and slowly but surely, she begins to realize that she might have misjudged him.   Over the next several weeks, India becomes much more self-aware once she recognizes how narrow her viewpoint is. Her once adversarial relationship with Derek gradually turns into a friendship as he challenges her to broaden her horizons.  A mutual attraction also simmers under the surface but will Derek and India take their relationship to the next level?

The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen is an absolutely charming historical romance with an eclectic cast of likable characters. The story’s premise is refreshingly unique and the storyline is quite engaging. Delightfully witty banter will keep readers laughing as Derek and India set off on an adventure that leads to a journey of self-discovery for the erstwhile heroine. This first installment in Victoria Alexander’s The Lady Travelers Guide series is an exciting and fun-filled romance that is sure to be a hit with fans of the genre.

3 Comments

Filed under Harlequin, Historical, HQN Books, Rated B+, Review, Romance, The Lady Travelers Guide Series, The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen, Victoria Alexander