Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful...but confused on the name
Review: Rhys and Joan loved one another, he was a great guy, but I ask you, what WAS his last name? Did he even have a last name? He mostly introduced himself as Rhys, and Addis, or someone, referred to him as Rhys Mason, but he was a MASON by profession.
Rating: 
Summary: Three and a half stars really
Review: This book reminded me of an overgrown shrub--it was undeniably beautiful in places, but it really needed to be trimmed back! A bit more editing should have been done before publishing to iron out its flaws and make the wording flow better.
To give the writer credit, though, she does seem to have a rather good feel for historical writing. In places I could almost see, smell and taste the dubious delights of ye olde London. The author didn't gloss over the harsh realities of life back them, but rather used them to her advantage: they don't bring down the book at all, or darken the story, but instead create a contrasting backdrop against which the main characters shine even brighter.
Joan is a lovely heroine, brave and determined and artistic. But it is the hero, Rhys, whom you will really adore. Unlike many of the 'heroes' I've read about in historical romances lately, he is not cruel or bitter or bent on revenge, but nice and honest and really very sweet, all of which makes him a lot more manly and attractive than those other annoying, overbearing 'heroes'!
This book actually has a decent plotline too--which is more than can be said for many romance novels thesedays--and while it's not a master work of literature, it is nonetheless an entertaining, appealing read that is reasonably good for its genre.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Beautiful!
Review: This review will be brief:I had only one M. Hunter book under my belt- "The Protector". I read the "By..." series out of order; "By Design" was my first. After reading it, a few things happened: - I remembered what great storytelling was all about.
- I discovered an author who made her characters and their stories physically and emotionally visible (I could "see" everything in this book).
- I had to read the stories of the other characters who were touching the lives of these characters (you have no choice, it makes the whole reading that much more fulfilling)
- I cried towards the end of the book. That's never happened before. That's how unique "By Design" was for me. Soft strength, deep emotion, keenly written, intelligent. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: Simply Beautiful!
Review: This review will be brief: I had only one M. Hunter book under my belt- "The Protector". I read the "By..." series out of order; "By Design" was my first. After reading it, a few things happened: - I remembered what great storytelling was all about.
- I discovered an author who made her characters and their stories physically and emotionally visible (I could "see" everything in this book).
- I had to read the stories of the other characters who were touching the lives of these characters (you have no choice, it makes the whole reading that much more fulfilling)
- I cried towards the end of the book. That's never happened before. That's how unique "By Design" was for me. Soft strength, deep emotion, keenly written, intelligent. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: Lots of Romance...
Review: Yes, there was a plot, but this book had more love scenes than many of the romance books I've read. Mark (Marcus) I knew would grow up to be a fine man. And David as well. This was a great book, and with Addis and Moira in it, you can't get much better than that.
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