Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Review: A Hellion in Her Bed

A Hellion in Her Bed (Hellion's of Hallstead Hall series - Book 2) by Sabrina Jeffries.

Publication Date: September 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
Format: Paperback, 384 pp
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
ISBN-13: 9781439167540
ISBN: 1439167540

(Received for review from Nancy Berland PR)

Synopsis (Courtesy of Barnes & Noble):

Furious at his grandmother's ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance , Lord Jarret Sharpe wagers his luck and his heart at the card table against a most unlikely opponent. Mired in scandal after his parents mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can't resist beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help her save her family's foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans... and unveils the secret that Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.

Thoughts:

The Sharpe family is the epitome of dysfunctional when it comes to Regency English society. Sabrina Jeffries takes us back to Hallstead Hall in the second book in the Hellions of Hallstead Hall series. Jeffries has a knack for developing great characters and the characters in A Hellion in Her Bed are no exception. She weaves a family dynamic that is captivating and keeps readers wondering what the Sharpe's are going to do next.

Lord Jarret Sharpe is a notorious gambler. He is man who looks out for himself. Since the death of his parents and the scandal of their mysterious deaths has tainted him, he decides to take leave the responsibilities in life to someone else. But, when his grandmother decides that it's time to settle down and get married she doesn't leave any of the Sharpe siblings out. Jarret is given a reprieve if he will run Plumtree Brewery, the family business for a year. Though it isn't what he wants he takes it on and does his best. When the lovely Annabel Lake makes him a bet he can't resist Lord Jarret bites off a bit more than he can chew. Annabel's family has a brewery as well, that is about go under. Annabel and Jarret work together to save the brewery and become intertwined in their own story. Annabel has a long held secret that may change everything and keep her and Jarret apart if they both can't forget their pasts and move on.

This book had such an interesting plot. I think the series in general is very different from most Regency novels I've read. A Hellion in Her Bed is engaging from the first page. Lord Jarret is handsome and his sexiness just oozes off the pages. While Annabel appears to be innocent and naive, but she harbors a deep secret. I loved both characters.

Jarret's attitude about life has been shaped by his past and the death of this parents. He doesn't answer to anyone and definitely has issues with commitment. Being forced to marry by his grandmother goes against his grain, but when he begins to find out more about Annabel and what shes been through he see him begin to show signs of emotion that he has tried to hide all along. Annabel starts out seemingly innocent but she still have a lot of spunk, challenging Jarret to a card game that could result in the loss of her virtue. But, there is a lot more to Annabel than meets the eye. She is determined to make her family's brewery to success once again. Her tenacity and attitude were refreshing in Regency woman.

I would recommend this one to anyone who loves a good steamy romance. The kind that gets your mind working as well as your blood pumping, LOL!

Click here to view my review of the first book in The Hellions of Hallstead Hall series, The Truth About Lord Stoneville.

A Hellion in Her Bed is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag! I really liked this one!

1 comment:

Willa said...

Ooh this sounds really interesting. Haven't read anything by this author but it sounds like a good read.