Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the official blog tour for…
Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand
by Carla Kelly
Paperback, 368 pages
Expected Publication Date: September 11, 2012
by Cedar Fort Inc
ISBN: 1462110606
Book Source: Publisher
5 Stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: After her husband’s death, Roxanna Drew is faced with the daunting task of providing for her two small girls on her own. Pursued by her lecherous brother-in-law, Roxanna knows her only hope is to escape his grasp by moving into a derelict cottage, owned by Lord Winn—a man known to his tenants only by his checkered reputation.
But when fate brings Lord Winn to her door in the middle of a snowstorm, Roxanna’s not sure which to fear more: letting him into her home or into her heart.
A strong-willed heroine, perfectly paced plot, and plenty of humorous moments make this one of bestselling author Carla Kelly’s most beloved Regency romances. Discover the magic of a love story you’ll want to read again and again.
Cathy’s Review: It’s been 6 months since Roxanna Drew’s beloved husband Anthony died. Her life with her two daughters Helen and Felicity has gone on much as it went while he was sick in bed, but things are changing quickly. Roxanna’s brother-in-law, Lord Whitcomb has already requested that she and her girls move in with him…and well he intends for her to be his mistress. She knows that that will not be an option for her, but she must come up with a new situation for herself and quickly! One day, as she’s walking across Moreland, a neighboring estate, she comes upon a small cottage. It’s in disrepair, it needs a new roof, floors, wall coverings, pretty much everything, but Roxanna knows that it would be a perfect place for her and her two girls. She asks the bailiff of the estate if she could rent it, and without having to spell the situation out for him, he understands why she needs a new place, and he quickly becomes her champion. Now all that’s left is for her to meet her landlord, Lord Winn, Roxie really knows nothing about him, just the usual neighborhood gossip, that she’s never listened to. So when he shows up on her doorstep in the middle of the night, she takes him in. It’s amazing how quickly he works his way into her heart and also the hearts of Helen and Felicity, but will she be able to move on from the loss of her beloved husband?
I really enjoyed this book! Carla Kelly is one of my very favorite romance writers. Her books are clean and full of sweet romance. This book was no exception. I enjoyed the character of Roxie Drew, I felt as though I “know” her and that she would be someone that I could count as a friend. I loved what a strong character she is in this book, she’s willing to do pretty much whatever she has to do to protect her two young daughters. I think that’s an admirable trait. The plot moved right along, making it hard for me to want to put this book down, I finished it quite quickly!
Content: Some drinking, talk about sex
About the author: Award-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America.
Recently, she’s been writing Regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.
Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.
Following the “dumb luck” principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the Railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.
And why is she so happy these days? Carla is enjoying writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.
Find out more about author Carla Kelly: Goodreads/
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