Body Language Quick & Easy by Richard Webster

Body Language Quick & Easy

by Richard Webster

 

Words can be lies, but body language always tells the truth

They say actions speak louder than words, but what are those actions really saying? Body Language Quick & Easy shows you how to use the hidden communication of the body to improve your relationships, build confidence, understand your friends and colleagues, and even be able to tell when people are lying.

Explore the secret codes of unconscious communication that most people don't even know exist. Use your understanding of the body to influence others, interpret motivations, and achieve goals at work. Making a good first impression and gaining rapport is easy when you know how to use body language.

 

 

I have always been interested in body language and the 'tells' that we unconsciously give off.  I used to watch the show "Lie To Me" constantly...though a lot of that may have been because of Tim Roth.

This was a good look at body language and how you can tell certain things about someone's emotional status while you're talking to them.  It's titled "Quick and Easy" so I didn't expect it to go into a huge amount of detail and wasn't disappointed with what I read.  I do wish a few things had been expanded, though.  I would have liked to hear more about micro-expressions and less about what anger/sadness/fear/surprise looks like.  I think most people are already pretty aware of those expressions. 

It was an interesting book and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a simple, overall look at body language.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a review copy. 

Knit Your Own Farm by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne

Knit Your Own Farm

by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne

The Best in Show series is an outstanding success. Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne are back with a collection of new patterns for farm animals. There is something here for everyone, with instructions for large farm favourites such as cows, bulls, horses and pigs as well as cute chicks, lambs and piglets. The animals are surprisingly easy to make. It will only take a few evenings to create yourself a loveable companion. These knitted animals in miniature are much easier to look after than the real things - they don't need feeding, they won't make a mess and they take up hardly any room. Join this evocative tour of the farmyard, with all the different animals you could hope to meet. Patterns include sheep and lamb, cow and calf, pig and piglet, goat and kid, chicken and chick, goose and gosling, horse and foal, llama, donkey, bull and even a rat. Idiosyncratic descriptions of the various species accompany beautiful photography, making this book irresistible for both keen knitters and animal enthusiasts.


This is a cute book with a lot of pictures of the finished knitted animals.  The instructions seemed pretty clear and there was a range of difficulty levels.  I haven't knitted any of the patterns yet because I am a professional procrastinator.  But I will get to it...some day.
With this book what you see is what you get.  The patterns aren't exactly elegant works of art.  A few of them seemed a little clunky to me.  This is, after all, a book about knitting small animals.  How elegant are you going to get?

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy for review. 

With This Ring by Celeste Bradley

With This Ring

by Celeste Bradley

 

From bestselling author Celeste Bradley comes With This Ring, a delightful tale about the lengths one woman will go to marry—at all costs…

THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Elektra Worthington is the lovely middle daughter of the eccentric, impoverished Worthington family. Her beauty means nothing to her except as her currency to return the Worthington name to its former glory of status, riches, and dominance in the ballrooms of Regency England. To this end, she will stop at nothing—even if she must kidnap a rich lord in the process. If this lucky gentleman is just returning from a long absence and knows nothing of the Worthington reputation, well, a girl shouldn’t look a gift lord in the mouth…right?

THE PRICE OF PASSION

Lord Aaron Arbogast, returning to England after a decade-old scandal—of which he was not truly guilty, but instead took the blame out of loyalty to a good friend—is the last of his line. He will someday become the Earl of Arbodean and inherit the estate…if, that is, he can prove to his ailing grandfather that he is a reformed man. Falling for a woman like Miss Worthington could cost him everything. But his desire for her? Priceless…

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a free copy for review*
I love Celeste Bradley.  She has been on my favorite author list for years because of her Liar's Club and Royal Four series.  There were several characters from those series that make an appearance in this book, which I enjoyed a lot.  Button will always be welcome!

With This Ring ended up only being about 3 stars for me, which is still a pretty good rating.  I have a difficult time connecting with some heroines, especially when they are stubborn and headstrong.  Elektra had her reasons for being the way she was, but she still irritated me to no end.  She uses people and manipulates them to get her way, and since she is so focused on her family she convinces herself that it is all worth it.  She didn't seem overly concerned when her actions caused hardship for other people.  Even so, she softened toward the end and seeing her through Aaron's eyes helped me to understand her more.

Aaron himself was a good character.  He was honorable and trying to make up for his past mistakes.  I loved the relationship with his friend because it showed the reader exactly how far he's come since he was an arrogant young man. 

I'm glad I read this book and I would definitely read more from this series in the future.  Celeste Bradley still remains one of my favorite authors.

 

The Duke's Disaster by Grace Burrowes

The Duke's Disaster

by Grace Burrowes

 

Noah Winters, Earl of Anselm, spent months sorting and courting the year's crop of debutantes in search of an ideal bride. When the sweet, biddable young thing he selected accepts another's proposal, Noah decides to court her companion instead.

Thea Collins, though, is anything but biddable. She has learned the hard way that men are not to be trusted, especially the handsome ones. When she reluctantly accepts, Noah rushes Thea to the altar before she can reveal her deepest secret. Can she finally move on from her past, or will it come back to haunt her?

 

 

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC for review*
I've read several books by Grace Burrowes and I've never been disappointed by any of them.  Each book is fresh and interesting, with a writing style that leaves no question why Mrs. Burrowes is one of the most well-known romance writers. 
At first, I was concerned because I didn't quite love the way the book began.  It starts in the middle of a conversation between the two main characters and I wish there was a bit more of a lead-in.  After that, though, the book really takes off.  It is a wonderful story with amazing characters.
Noah Winters is dark and brooding (exactly the type of hero I love) but he is also affectionate and shy.  I really loved the way his character was written.  He was given a heroine who deserved him.
Thea was very brave and sweet.  She has moved on from her past and done the best she could to care for her family.  I'm glad this honorable woman was given such a wonderful hero.  The romance between the two was very believable.
The two of them had a rocky start and had to build their trust over time, given the fact that **Spoiler** Thea wasn't a virgin on their wedding night and Noah was understandably upset.  He is a duke, after all.  **spoiler**




This actually made them take longer to get to know each other and made their love stronger, imo.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves romance, and I'd also recommend it to anyone who wants to give romance a try.

When a Rake Falls by Sally Orr

When a Rake Falls

by Sally Orr

 

To win a race to Paris, dashing Lord Boyce Parker hires a balloon. He expects to be crowned the victor and become famous for his courage and intelligence. Only then can he regain his father’s respect from the scandal of publishing the naughty book The Rake’s Handbook: Including Field Guide.

Bluestocking Miss Eve Mountfloy makes a bargain with the handsome Pink of the Ton. She’ll fly the balloon during the dangerous crossing to France, if he lets her finish her scientific experiments to predict violent storms and thereby save lives.

Eve proceeds with her studies, but the results are not what she expected. Chafing to keep warm creates unusual sensations everywhere. Then when Lord Parker asks if she is curious about the heat generated by a kiss, well, she is curious. It seems Lord Parker is performing experiments of his own that will forever change Eve’s perception of the word "results."

 

 

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for review*

 

My goodness, Boyce is a funny man!  I'm used to reading books with heroes who are dark and brooding, so it's refreshing to find a character who is lighthearted and funny.  Boyce is sweet, charming, and he loves to sing at the oddest moments.  I found myself laughing constantly because of his funny quirks and inner monologues. He is also very tenderhearted.  He shows a lot of concern for animals and even insects and isn't afraid to show affection.

Eve wasn't quite as interesting as Lord Parker.  I still enjoyed hearing things from her point of view...but let's be honest here, it's mostly because I get to hear more about Boyce.  There were times that I just wanted to slap Eve silly. 

I enjoyed this book quite a bit and would definitely recommend it to people who like historical romance and lighthearted heroes.

 

***slight spoiler ahead***

There was some good tension between the characters throughout the story.  This would probably be a good book for those who don't want much sex in their romance.  Besides some light make-out sessions, there is only one sex scene late in the book and it is pretty tame compared to most romance books.  It isn't spelled-out or very explicit.     

Unbearable Desire by Vivi Andrews

Unbearable Desire

Lone Pine Pride #4

by Vivi Andrews

 

 

Their history? Complicated. Their chemistry? Incendiary.

Ten years ago, Moira shared one hot night with the bear-shifter of her dreams, but when she took him up on his offer to join him at the Lone Pine Pride, reality landed with a thud. She quickly realized that he was only looking for a momentary distraction, not a happily ever after.
She’s been trying to get over him ever since, but no other shifter has measured up to the big bad bear.
When Hugo met Moira in a Yukon bar, he poured out his unrequited love for his alpha’s mate as he pounded down drinks. While Hugo remembers telling Moira he was emotionally unavailable, apparently she only heard his need for sexual healing.
He’s always felt guilty for unintentionally leading her on. But now that the woman he thought he wanted is finally available, he’s beginning to wonder if the one he really needs is the woman with whom he shared one incendiary night—then let slip through his fingers.

*I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley*

 

This is the first I've read from the series and the author, and even though this is the 4th book in the series I still understood enough that I could get on quite well.   

It is a short book so there wasn't much lead-in to the romance (though that may have been in the previous books) and there wasn't a great deal of character development.  That's understandable, since this book is only about 79 pages long. 

My first impression: it's interesting that this is a romance with older characters than usually found in romance.  Hugo is close to fifty, I think, and Moira was in her mid-to-late forties.  I'm all for a little variety so I was glad after the initial shock wore off. 

It wasn't an amazing book, but neither was it bad.  It was a little forgettable for me.  I'm not sure I'd continue the series.  People who have read the entire series may have more interest in it, though.  

 

**slight spoiler ahead**

Hugo is an ass.  Just because he didn't mean to be an ass doesn't mean he isn't one.  He's been pining for one untouchable woman his entire life, because untouchable means he won't have to risk his heart even though he is interested in Moira.  Poor Moira.  She deserves so much more than to be regretting him for a decade.  And this woman wanted babies!  Ten years ago she could have easily had them...now, less likely.  Screw you, Hugo.



 

Never Surrender to a Scoundrel by Lily Dalton

Never Surrender to a Scoundrel

by Lily Dalton

 

A Reckless Desire...

Lady Clarissa Bevington is in trouble. A reckless indiscretion has left her with two choices: ruin her family with the scandal of the Season, or marry Mr. Kincraig, the notorious scoundrel mistaken as her lover. Desperate and disgraced, Clarissa vows to love and cherish a veritable stranger, a man whose eyes smolder with danger—and undeniable desire...

An Unexpected Arrangement

As an agent for the Crown, Lord Donovan Blackmer has spent the last two years guarding Clarissa's grandfather from an unknown assassin while disguised as the rakehell Kincraig. His mission may now be over, but his duty has just begun. Salvaging his beautiful, impetuous wife's virtue will cost him his fortune and his position as an officer—but it might save him from the ghosts that haunt his own past. When their marriage "in name only" leads to exquisite seduction, Donovan must risk the only thing he has left to lose . . . his heart.  

 

 

 

 

*I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley* 

I haven't read the two previous books in the series, but after reading Never Surrender To A Scoundrel I'm going to remedy that right away.  I loved this book!

 

The characters seemed very real to me.  Anyone who's read my other reviews knows that good characterization is something I look for most in a book. I was very pleasantly surprised with this one.  The plot itself touched on something that isn't usually mentioned in romance and I like that the author didn't shy away from it.

 

Clarissa made a terrible mistake, one that is forgivable considering that she is young and naïve.  I loved that she picked herself up and moved on and tried to make the best of her situation.  And she did it in such a way that I began to admire her quite a bit.  She is sweet and strong, never tempestuous like most romance heroines turn out to be.  I adored her.

 

Dominick (or Donovan, since I think the name was changed before publication?) was everything I love in a hero.  He's the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome with an extra helping of dangerous.  Yum.

 

This book had everything: great romance, well thought-out plot, and great characters.

I'd recommend it to anyone who reads romance.