Must-read romances: 'Scandalous Summer Nights,' 'Forever Mine,' 'You're So Fine'

Scandalous Summer Nights by Anne Barton

What it's about (courtesy of Forever):

Lady Olivia Sherbourne isn't shy about speaking her mind, except when it comes to James Averill. For ten long years he has been her brother's best friend and her heart's only desire. But when Olivia hears James will soon set sail for an expedition to Egypt, she knows the time has come to make her move. It's now or never . . .

James has always found Olivia bewitchingly attractive, but what kind of gentleman takes up with his best friend's sister? Not that he's thinking particularly gentlemanly thoughts when she appears on his exploratory trip—three hundred miles from home!—and incites a tavern fight. No matter what the devil she's doing there, it's his duty to see her safely back to her family. But how safe will she be when every starlit night brings wicked temptation . . . ?

Why you should read it: In the historical romance genre, Anne Barton has rapidly risen from fresh to favorite. Everything I've heard about this author and her books led me to expect that Scandalous Summer Nights would be a spirited and entrancing read, and that's exactly what I found it to be. This third installment in Barton's Honeycote series is unpredictable, sensual, smart, and just plain fun, but it also has sweet, stirring depths. The happy ever after lingered, long after I read the final page.

Any girl with a smidgen of good sense would have given up on James Averill years ago.

Olivia Sherbourne's problem was not so much a lack of good sense as it was an abundance of stubbornness. She'd pined after James for ten long years. No matter that he gave her scarce little encouragement; her patience was born out of a love that was deep, abiding, and true.

Also, she'd once seen his naked chest.

I derived great pleasure in watching Olivia mature before my very eyes. As the book opens, she's feisty, funny and self-deprecating, but she's also melodramatic, and careless about the results of her actions. Her infatuation with James leads her to make some outlandish decisions, and handling the unexpected consequences helps her realize she tends toward manipulation. But she's never unsympathetic — Barton skillfully builds a vulnerable yet passionate hero/heroine combination that any reader will delight in championing.

Poor James has his hands full with the besotted Olivia, and it only takes him half the book to realize how lucky that makes him. By then, though, she's struggling to turn her adoration into practical thoughts, and condemning herself for living a frivolous life, and his guilt and regret rise. They can't catch up to his libido, though. Throughout every complication, Olivia is stubbornly creative in her attempts to seduce James, and he only has so much willpower.

The sensuality factor is delightfully high, the humor a laugh-out-loud treat, the dialogue bold and bright.

"James!" she called out. "I don't need rescuing."

"I think you do."

Bam! This time, the door burst open and James shot into the room like a catapult had launched him. His boots landed in the suds that covered the floor and his feet slipped out from under him. His limbs flailed in the air for a second, and he thumped onto the floor beside her, grunting from the impact. He'd left his jacket behind and his shirtsleeves were rolled up, exposing sinewy forearms. His mossy-green eyes were dazed.

Slowly, he pushed himself up and blinked. "You're naked."

Her skin grew hot — in sharp contrast to the chilly wet towel draped across her breasts. But she had her pride, dash it all. She raised her chin and shook out her wet curls. "If I'd been afforded the opportunity, I'd have told you I wasn't receiving."

James and Olivia challenge each other, and though they want opposing things, I had no choice but to root for them both. Refreshingly, neither holds a grudge, and watching them process, accept and support each other's secrets, failings and misconceptions is a joy. I didn't get to see much of James in his solicitor element, and Olivia never turned her thoughts to how her life would change, becoming the wife of a tradesman, but the fact that she didn't seriously consider it made me like her even more. The lengths these two are willing to go to for each other are humbling and adorable, the Scandalous Summer Nights they spend together romantic, passionate and utterly gasp-worthy. Feeling chilly this winter? Warm yourself with Anne Barton's latest!

Forever Mine by Monica Burns

What it's about (courtesy of Maroli SP Imprints):

When a bomb explosion thrusts Victoria Ashton backward in time to 1897, she's forced to impersonate the Countess of Guildford. Despite Victoria's attempts to convince the earl she's not his wife, her counterpart's infidelity, lies, and ill-tempered personality make the task almost impossible. Worse, Victoria finds herself falling in love with a man who loathes her. Only when the earl learns to trust her does she realize her future lies in the past. But love always comes at a price, and she must make a painful sacrifice in order for them to be together.

Nicholas Thornhill, Earl of Guildford, has been searching for his missing wife for three weeks. Rumors of him being guilty of murder make him unwilling to believe his wife's latest in a multitude of lies. But the changes in Victoria continuously surprise him. Despite his best intentions, he finds the contempt he once felt for his wife turning into something deeper and stronger. But when danger threatens to separate them forever, he must forge a bond with her that crosses the boundaries of time.

Why you should read it: Part reincarnation, part time travel, part suspense, part historical and part contemporary — and all romance — Forever Mine is a haunting, mesmerizing mix of sub-genres. Monica Burns' latest is about two pairs of the same lovers, one in the past and the other in the present, but what makes this story truly remarkable is the ardent, unflagging love that binds this couple, across the confines of time.

A century-old secret, a love affair with a portrait, a fake countess who has visions of being buried alive, a gallery owner plagued by memories of a tragedy he never experienced, hidden journals and jewels, traitors, stalkers, murderers—seriously, guys, I couldn't read fast enough. "Gripping" is an understatement.

With a glance over her shoulder, she saw her delusional interrogator gaining on her. For a man with a limp, he moved quickly. Frantic, she realized the water was her only hope of escape. She was a fast swimmer. If she swam to the opposite end of the pond, she might be able to escape. Self-preservation drove her forward, and she ran the last two steps to the water and dived in head first.

Cold fire engulfed her the instant she hit the water. The shock of it sent her up to the surface with a loud gasp. The icy water sucked the air out of her, forcing her to fight hard to draw air back into her lungs. The fire feeding on her skin was almost as intense as the pain she'd endured when she'd woken up in this terrible dream. She was a strong swimmer, but the frigid water stole every ounce of strength she had. Desperately she fought to breathe as her legs gave way, and she sank.

Victoria's catapult into the past and her horrifying struggles there are counterbalanced nicely by the contemporary scenes, which are milder with respect to the edge-of-your-seat front, but still satisfyingly intense. Burns did a fabulous job communicating her characters' fear and confusion. The story doesn't completely escape coincidence or melodrama, and Nicholas' missing wife could have used a redeeming feature, but the unrelenting suspense and lavish sensuality join forces to make certain you scarcely care. And oh, the heartbreak. The misfortunes the lovers face are wrenching, and if the hard times don't wring the tears from you, the tender times will — I admit to working my way through a tissue or 10. The humor is subtle but well-placed, and the dialogue often links a character to their respective time period.

Head bent, Nicholas clasped his hands behind his back and studied the ground for a moment. When he returned his gaze to Victoria's face, mischief crashed through him at the worried look on her lovely features. Clearing his throat, he tried to school his features into what he hoped was a severe look.

"Well, madam wife, what do you have to say for yourself?" He gave her credit for not giving ground as she faced him.

"If you're expecting an apology, dream on."

What you can expect is a spicy, absorbing read, laced with equal parts danger and poignancy. Forever Mine spans more than 450 pages, but trust me, you'll wish there were more.

You're So Fine by Kieran Kramer

What it's about (courtesy of St. Martin's):

Lacey Clark's dreams of Hollywood stardom didn't turn out quite the way she planned. Instead, her life is more of the daytime-drama variety: One of her actor ex-boyfriends fathered a child with another woman, and now, long story short, Lacey is the adopted single mother of his son. She takes little Henry with her to South Carolina to escape the film business but winds up working at a small movie studio, determined to do a good job both on set and at "home." Only problem is she ends up sharing a house with movie star Beau Wilder, who is no role model for Henry—and only spells trouble for Lacey…

Beau is arguably the most gorgeous man on the planet—and a known ladies' man. His wealthy Lowcountry pedigree is rivaled only by his bad-boy charm, a combination that proves irresistible for Lacey. And he adores Henry! If they weren't both on a movie set, their lives would seem too good to be true…unless the chemistry—not to mention the burning attraction—between them is real, and Hollywood's golden boy is actually falling for this sassy single mom? When it comes to love, sometimes you just have to throw out the script…

Why you should read it:You're So Fine is a glorious read. It's exuberant and endearing, layered and luscious, and if I had to pick a favorite book for 2014, this would be the one.

I've always adored Kramer's Regency historicals, and I was thrilled when I heard she planned to grace the contemporary romance genre with her presence. Unfortunately I missed Sweet Talk Me, her contemporary debut, but that book has since jumped to the top of my read-me-next list after relishing You're So Fine. Kramer's mastery of humor and unconventional characters translates happily to modern times.

"Whoa." Beau looked up at the bottom of the light. It was way better than any chandelier he'd ever seen, layers and layers of thick glass gleaming ice blue. "This is cool."

"I know," said Henry. "What's it for?"

"Calling people home. When sailors out on the dark ocean weren't sure where they were, they could see this light shining and knew that if they went that way, they'd find a safe harbor. Ready to go all the way up?"

"Mom says you can't go without an adult."

"She's right. But since I am one, we're okay."

This time Beau went first, and when he got up to the top of the ladder, he held out his hand to Henry and pulled him the rest of the way."

"You dangled me in the air," Henry said.

"I know. At least it wasn't over a pit of crocodiles, right?"

"I wish it had been."

"Me, too."

You're So Fine's Beau oozes almost as much conceit as he does charisma, but he's also a genuinely nice guy. His relationship with Lacey's son Henry is beyond precious, and there's no way you can resist rooting for a man who only wants someone to care if he's happy. He describes Lacey as lush, sexy and offbeat, and that's a description that applies to their romance, as well. It doesn't take Beau long to see that Lacey feels unworthy, except when it comes to Henry, and though Beau tries hard to resist his nice guy tendencies, he ends up nudging Lacey toward realizing her own value — and boy, howdy, does that get him into trouble.

The lighthouse setting is fresh and charming, the story's just-right rhythm invigorating, the supporting cast full-fledged and fascinating. And the writing is simply lovely.

In his tiny cubby of a room, she dutifully got him into bed and tucked him in tight with a threadbare quilt, her heart squeezing with a love so strong she knew she could take whatever craziness life threw at her because she had something bigger and better—the love of this little man. His hand curled in hers, and his lips, puffy and dry from keeping the car window down for three thousand miles, curved like a slice of watermelon, sweet and pink.

A touching surprise at the story's end earns one last gratified sigh. Kramer's next contemporary, Trouble When You Walked In, has an August release date. Treating myself to Sweet Talk Me and revisiting Kramer's backlist sounds like the perfect way to pass what's sure to be a pins-and-needles wait.

Kathy Altman's latest contemporary romance novel is Staying at Joe's. Kathy prefers her chocolate with nuts, her Friday afternoons with wine and her love stories with happy ever afters. Her website is KathyAltman.com.