Review: Prepare to be seduced!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 19, 2013
Love's Revenge & Love's Portrait, both by Monica Burns are a sumptuous, romantic delight!  Here are two historical romances that will curl your toes and make your heart pound as you read about how love can conquer all.In Love's Revenge you will root for Sophie and Quentin's happily ever after throughout the novel because you will come to admire their courage and bond.  If you love a strong, brooding hero than Quentin Blackwell, Earl of Devlyn is your man.  He starts this novel as somewhat of a dark hero, bent on revenge but Sophie slowly changes all that.  Slowly, his characters' dark side is peeled away to show a generous and caring man.  He is fiercely protective and you can't help but love him for it.  Meanwhile, Sophie is looking for an escape and sees Quentin as the opportunity she needs.  What starts out as an unusual alliance, becomes something much more precious.  Through this, Sophie finds the strength and determination she lacked in the past to stand up for herself.  She is a great heroine and one you can easily admire.The heart of the story shows the perfect reflection of the novel's title.  It is in their quest for revenge where Sophie and Quentin realize their own sense of justice may not be as important as their growing feelings for one another.  The subtle changes and feelings between these two characters and the importance of their original goals seems to fade seamlessly into the the background.  It is at that point the novel completely captures your attention drawing you into the characters developments and beautifully showing how two people can change one another.In Love's Portrait Julia and Morgan make an impressive pair.  Julia Westgard and Morgan St. Clair are both defensive people with issues trusting others, but their attraction to one another seems to overrule their judgment.  Morgan has a notorious reputation as a benevolent yet consuming lover, always controlling how his affairs begin and when they end.  Surprisingly, Julia is a woman he discovers he desperately wants yet can't have.  Watching his frustration in this novel is entertaining and inspiring.  Mainly because he finds it difficult to hide his emotions and becomes the man Julia can easily fall in love with.  Julia on the other hand, has escaped from a bitter past and has finally gained her independence.  Which is why any attraction she feels towards Morgan scares her.  Morgan threatens the security she has finally found but her resistance is futile.  Julia begins to realize trusting a man worth loving is the only way to completely regain her life.It is a fun journey watching these two delicate individuals fall in love.  This passionate novel features two strong willed, independent people expecting a simple dalliance in passion, yet find a complicated love they can't deny.  In an interesting contrast, the couple have a light-hearted banter that is constantly entertaining.  Yet at the heart of the story is a dazzling romance.  The hesitation to give in to their emotions only makes their desire for one another stronger and Burns delivers a well crafted romance that exceed expectations.This is an absolute steal at $0.99!!  In both cases, Burns pens a delightful story with a simple, yet entertaining plot line. The heartfelt emotions and passion the characters share make it a satisfying journey.  So if you are a fan of historical romance like me, consider this the best $0.99 you've ever spent!