Digital Review: Under A New Year's Enchantment

Under a New Year's Enchantment by Barbara Monajem is the second short story in a duet and continues where Under a Christmas Spell left off.  Lucie (a succubus) and Valiant (an incubus) are still at the house party being hosted by Garrick, Lord Westerly.  They were both given a mission - Lucie is to work her sensual magic on Garrick, who has been asexual since returning from the war.  Valiant was to "awaken" the desires of Miss Theodora Southern, who has some foolish notion that she'll never marry.  The problem is that being an incubus and/or a succubus isn't an exact science.  The other attendees of the house party are getting a wee bit hot and bothered as well!

Naturally though some of those erotic dreams and visions are hitting their marks.  Theodora, who grew up with Garrick and impulsively proposed to him (yes, she proposed marriage to him!) before he left for the war.  Garrick let her down gently, but still it's an awkward elephant left standing in the room between them.  So when she slips out at night to look at some old Roman ruins that Garrick discovered on his estate, and he dresses her down when he mistakes her for one of the pushy young thangs trying to finagle marriage out of him?  She's so ticked off she's breathing fire.  Passions already running high from the erotic dreams, Garrick knows he must apologize to Theodora - something not easy to accomplish when every time he sees her he's picturing her naked and in his bed.

I love house party settings in historical romances, and coupled with the holiday atmosphere this makes for a fun read.  I also really liked both the hero and heroine.  I loved that Theodora is refreshingly "modern" and forthright, but still feels true to the time period.  Garrick is suitably surly, and I loved that he recognizes rather quickly that he was 1) an ass and 2) needs to find a way to apologize to Theodora without compromising her reputation (she was, after all, alone on the grounds after dark....).

What didn't work as well for me?  Well, this really is the second part of a duet.  I just don't think this story hangs very well on it's own.  Readers really will get more out of it by having read the first one.  The paranormal elements were light to begin with, but in this second entry they're even more glossed over.  Garrick knows exactly what Valiant is, but even knowing that?  I never felt like Theodora and Garrick were "out of their heads" and not aware of their actions.  These two belong together, it's just the erotic presence of an incubus and a succubus sort of juice up the proceedings a bit.  I also felt like the ending to the whole affair of why Valiant and Lucie were assigned to meddle could have been spelled out a little clearer.

Still, it's a quick holiday read - and I enjoyed the duet technique employed for these two romances.  Both stories were quick, sexy, and had just the right amount of holiday flavor to keep me entertained during a very busy time of year. 

Final Grade = B-

Digital Review: Under a Christmas Spell

I think it's pretty well documented that I like to read "short," no more so than this time of year.  I understand why some readers dislike shorts, but for me I think they are a great way to evaluate writers.  Writing in a short format takes a certain sort of skill - one that not all writers possess - and just as I have "autobuy" authors in longer formats?  I have "autobuy" authors in shorter formats.  Barbara Monajem is one of those writers.  She tends to handle tight word counts well, and her historical short stories for Harlequin Historical Undone are always interesting, if not always successful, reads for me.  Under a Christmas Spell is one of the successful ones and is a nice holiday story that blends light paranormal elements with one of my favorite historical backdrops - the country house party.

Napoleon finally vanquished, Lord Valiant Oakenhurst has come home to England.  However, he has one more mission - a rather absurd one in his opinion, but orders are orders.  An incubus, Valiant is told to find a way into a house party and awaken the dormant sexual nature of Miss Theodora Southern.  Someone higher up the food chain wants the chit to marry and she has some silly notion that she'll only marry "for love."  The belief is that once Valiant gets her all hot and bothered that she'll be more, uh....receptive to suitors.  Things get complicated though when he see Lucille Beaulieu traveling with Miss Southern.

Lucie and Valiant go way back to the war.  She's a succubus and they were both spies.  Lucie thwarted a mission for Valiant back then, and while he was none to pleased about it?  Yeah, he's still go the hots for her. So why the deuce is Lucie at this silly house party?  Turns out she's there on a similar mission as Valiant's, except her target is the host - Lord Westerly.  He's a fine, upstanding Lord - someone that needs to get making babies for God and country.  Except ever since he's been back from the war?  Yeah, Westerly has had no eye for the ladies.  The hope is that Lucie's particular brand of seduction will "awaken" his needs and get him on the marriage mart.

The paranormal elements are painted with a light brush, and I liked that both hero and heroine had dubious pasts that have led to their paths crossing more than once.  Lucie, in particular, is exceedingly happy that the war is over - having grown tired of the various games.  While Valiant may scoff at all things Christmas - the big (and really only) appeal to this mission for her is that she's going to have a nice English country holiday, complete with Yule logs, pudding, and wassailing.  However Valiant being on the scene worries her.  I mean, what if he's there because he has orders to dispose of her?

I can see some readers getting through this story and wishing there was more.  The war years for both hero and heroine are glossed over a bit, and the paranormal world-building cannot really be delved into great detail considering the word count.  The way it reads, it sounds like Valiant, and possibly Lucie, are magical beings born from non-magical parents.  Lucie is an orphan, Valiant basically disowned by his family.  This is all glossed over considerably, but I did enjoy the author's take on the incubus/succubus mythology.  For me it's more "fun" here than say, the ol' "they're demons!" take on the idea.  Lucie and Valiant are just.....really hot and have that knack for invading dream space.  Good looks, charisma, that "it factor" - in this day and age they'd be movie stars.

There's a connected short story in this duet, Under a New Year's Enchantment, coming out in January that will wrap everything up by continuing the story of Miss Southern and Lord Westerly.  As it stands, I'm glad readers aren't quite done seeing Lucie and Valiant.  They found their happy ending, but they'll be back.

Final Grade = B

Digital Review: Romancing The Toe Bone

It shouldn't take anyone who likes to read short stories very long to generate a list of go-to authors who work well within a shorter format.  Barbara Monajem is one of those authors for me.  Her work for Harlequin Historical Undone tends to feature a nice historical flavor, interesting characters, and "different" plot-lines to keep me from feeling like I'm reading a retread.  In the case of The Unrepentant Rake, the "different" was what held me back. 

Readers first met Simon Caling in another Undone short story, The Wanton Governess.  A younger son, he's a bit of a cad.  A charming, sexy cad - but a cad nonetheless.  One of his acquaintances is hopelessly in love with a young lady, but he's too damn tongue-tied to offer for her.  He's hoping Simon can help him out.  Simon, with nothing more amusing to do, agrees - only to find himself captivated by the girl's governess, Beatrix March.

Beatrix will soon my leaving her employer, but she cannot do that until she finds her missing relic.  Her family has had possession of a toe bone of St. Davnet for generations.  She believes the relic is what has been responsible for family harmony all these years.  And now her foolish young charge has swiped it from her thinking it will help with her love life!  Bah!  To make matters worse, Simon Caling, a rake of the first order, is visiting and he's sniffing around.  The lady of the house is completely unconcerned, which means it is up to Beatrix to protect the girls.  Little does she know Simon only has eyes for her.

As much as I enjoyed the previous short story, this latest entry didn't really cook for me.  While I enjoy Monajem's light touches of humor, and she continues to write excellent banter, the whole sub plot revolving around the missing toe bone (seriously?) was just a bit too farcical for my blood.  It was just....silly.  And unfortunately, since I found it silly, the heroine, who deeply believes in the powers of said toe bone, comes off as silly. 

Simon is what carries this story for me.  He's charming, he's rakish without being slimy, and it's a wonder that all the females in this story manage to keep their clothes on around him (well, Beatrix doesn't succeed - but then she's the heroine).  But I couldn't help but think Simon would have been better matched with a more mature heroine.  Someone who has been around the block.  Someone who didn't believe in magical, saintly toe bones. 

So where does that leave us?  Well, with personal preference.  If you can swing with a little bit of farce, enjoy sexy banter, and don't mind heroines who participate in a bit of "magical thinking" - you will likely enjoy this story more than I did.  I still enjoyed the author's writing, and she continues to work well in this tough shorter format.  It's just this particular story wasn't really my cup of tea.  Someone pass the Earl Grey....

Final Grade = C+

Digital Review: She's A Super Freak

Not all short stories are created equal.  I know some readers out there who pretty much loathe everything "short" - but I happen to love the format when it's in the hands of an author who can make it work for them.  The Wanton Governess by Barbara Monajem is her second short for Harlequin Historical Undone, and I'm just as taken with it as I was with her first.  This is a strong story, that gives me an actual story, flesh and blood characters, a supporting cast (!), and sexy times - all without making me feel like I'm missing out because it is "short."

Pompeia Grant is in a pickle.  When she dispatched of her virginity, she made the mistake of choosing the wrong man.  Oh, the guy was skilled - but he couldn't keep his big, fat mouth shut.  Word gets back to her brother, which means word gets back to her parents - which means she's working as a governess.  The problem is that Pompeia is very beautiful.  So beautiful that she apparently turns men into cads.  In short, she keeps getting fired.  Her latest dismissal occurs near Sir James Carling's estate.  His sister is a friend, and she's thinking of begging for a night's lodging.  Instead she gets roped into playing James' wife to appease their old goat of a grandmother!

James has just returned from America, and is shocked to learn that his siblings have invented a wife for him.  He's even more shocked to discover it's Pompeia acting the part.  They met years ago - and it was lust at first sight.  But James, being a gentleman, never pursued an affair.  Well now he's older, wiser, and here's the delectable Pompeia right under his nose.  I mean, a guy can only resist so much.

What I liked about this short story is that it felt like a full story.  Even factoring in the word count, I felt like I really got to know Pompeia and James.  I was also charmed by James' two siblings, their banter with each other, and the farce of keeping the wool over grandmother's eyes.  I'm not a huge fan of "love at first sight" style romances, but the author makes it work here, and also more palatable by coupling it with the "reunion/reunited" trope. 

James is suitably hero-worthy, with strong Alpha tendencies without being a raging asshole.  He's charming, slightly roguish, but also a gentleman.  He wants to do the right thing by the heroine, even as he's planning on debauching her.  What I liked about Pompeia was the little twist the author gives her character.  Yes, she's a fallen woman - but her greatest sin wasn't actually having sex.  Oh no.  It was admitting that she ::gasp:: liked it.  For that reason she thinks she's a wanton.  Immoral and improper.

What readers will have to be able to swallow though is the whole Impossibly Beautiful Heroine trope.  I mean, apparently just looking at Pompeia turns men into ravenous dogs.  Different time, different era, life didn't equal living in a PC world, blah blah blah - but every guy mentioned in this story (OK, not her father or brother) is trying to get underneath her skirts.  Hey, boys will be boys - but 99% of the ones Pompeia encounters in Regency Romance Land just have to come on to her?  I mean, really?  Normally this sort of thing gets on my nerves in a full-length novel, but as a trope for a short story?  It worked better for me.

I've read a lot of these Undone stories since Harlequin launched the line - and I enjoy them for what they are - quick, sexy reads.  That being said, they aren't all created equal.  Some authors seem to handle the constraints better than others.  Monajem is now firmly on my "she can make it work" list.

Final Grade = B