ARC Review: The Truth About Leo by Katie MacAlister

The Truth About Leo by Katie MacAlister
Publication date: August 5, 2014
Series: Noble #4
Publisher: Sourcebooks
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~~Reviewed by Lisa~~

What a wonderful, fun and fast paced story.

Her Serene Highness, Princess Dagmar Marie Sophie, has been ordered by her cousin, the Crown Prince of Copenhagen, to leave her home. She is not sure where she will be going and is without any family in Copenhagen and has very limited funds, well none to speak of. She is feisty, smart, determined and fun.

When we meet Leopold (Leo) Ernst George Mortimer, seventh Earl of March, is in service to the crown of England and he is helping a stranded cat from a tree. Instantly we are rewarded with the quirky humor that is carried throughout the story. He is left for dead by soldiers and manages to find Dagmar’s back garden. Dagmar needs recuing and sees Leo as a way to conform to her nasty cousin’s wishes to leave her home and getting herself to England and her English relatives that turned their backs on her mother for marry her father. They marry and she nurses him back to health on the trip to England. 

When Leo finally comes to his senses from his fever he finds himself married to Dagmar, which, while not what he was planning, is turning out to be the best thing for him. He finds that she had used creative sneakiness to accomplish the marriage and getting them on the English ship. They are married, but know virtually nothing about each other and during their “courtship” they discover things about themselves and they come to realize they are better together than apart. We are treated to hilarious discussions of lady and man parts and their relationship to the other and wonderfully charming advice from Dagmar’s mother on the same. There is a murderess loose and in typical period fashion the men leave the women out of the mix, only the woman have other ideas. The women that have befriended Dagmar have a whiskey induced brain storming session to figure out how to help. 

Ms. MacAlister uses humor and fast paced conversations to bring out the depth of the characters she has created. They are feisty, irreverent and fun. Ms. MacAlister’s ability to be charming while bringing tension and mystery to us, the readers is brilliant. There were a couple of things along the read that I felt were not explained, but in the end they were far outweighed by the enjoyment the story brought. I love the way I came to care so quickly for the characters and was thrilled to see their story unfold.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating:

Author Event: Historical Heroine Quiz with Grace Burrowes, Shana Galen, and Katie MacAlister

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Dozens of books, see Rafflecopter below.

Which Historical Romance Heroine Are You?

What word best describes you?
a) effervescent
b) nonconfrontational (mostly) 
c) stealthy

My favorite hobby is ...
a) comparative study of the male form
b) looking after my darling baron   
c) target practice

What is the perfect late night snack?
a) bread, cheese, meats, lemon tarts … whatever can be liberated from the kitchen
b) the baron's kisses
c) ratafia, shaken not stirred

My ideal man must have ...
a) a sublime derriere
b) an aptitude for growing hardy, contrary flowers 
c) brains

What accessory do you never leave home without?
a) my corset (large bosoms are such a trial)
b) my composure 
c) my pistol

***

If you choose mostly As ... then you are as sparkling and resourceful as Her Serene Royal Highness Dagmar from The Truth About Leo by Katie MacAlister. Dagmar may have been raised in a strictly formal manner, but she’s never let that stop her from pursuing anything that catches her interest. She’s a bit quirky, marches to her own drummer, and has a fine, fine appreciation of the manly form.

If you choose mostly Bs … then you are clearly the stuff a baroness is made of, much like Millicent, from The Traitor. Milly is sweet, fierce, determined, and brave but slow to trust. Sebastian, Baron St. Clair, is ALSO sweet, fierce, determined and brave, and relentless when it comes to protecting those he cares for. Alas for both Sebastian and Milly, an enemy stalks them who is not sweet. By the time Milly is done with Sebastian's enemies, they are not very brave either. So if you chose mostly B's, the bad guys better steer mighty clear of you!

If you choose mostly Cs … then you are equipped to be a master spy like Jane Bonde from Love and Let Spy by Shana Galen. Jane is smart, cunning, and loyal, but she has her weaknesses too. Her latest weakness goes by the name Dominic Griffyn. Planning a wedding and defeating a villain intent upon the destruction of England is tricky, but if you're the sort who multitasks easily, then you too have Jane's unique skills and panache..

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About the Books and the Authors:

As a young boy, British-born Sebastian St. Clair was abandoned in France and forced to join the French army in order to survive. 

Now that the war is over, he has returned home to his beloved England, and is determined to live a quiet life as a country gentleman. He believes that his wish is about to come true when he begins to fall for his elderly aunt’s lovely companion, Miss Millicent Danforth. 


But the French are not quite ready to let him go, and they’ve devised a devious plot that could destroy everything that Sebastian holds dear. He will have to use all of his wits if he plans on escaping this scheme with his life…and his love.

About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes' bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Lady Eve's Indiscretion. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

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Her name is Bonde, Jane Bonde . . .

A beautiful and eligible member of the ton, Jane has more than a few secrets: she’s one of the Crown’s most elite agents. She may be deadly, but she doesn't know a thing about fashion, flirtation, or love . . . until Dominic Griffyn shakes up her carefully stirred world and asks her to be his bride. He’s exactly the kind of man she’s not looking for. And he’s dangerous, because falling into his arms is so much more satisfying than saving England from her enemies.

He’s an improper gentleman who needs a wife. . .


Tall, dark, and tortured, Dominic Griffyn is haunted by demons from his past. When his stepfather insists that he marry, Dominic allows himself to hope that the beautiful but mysterious Miss Bonde might help him forget his troubles. As they grow closer, it’s clear that there’s more to Jane than danger. She might be just what his neglected heart needs.

About the Author:

Shana Galen is the bestselling author of fast-paced adventurous Regency historicals, including the RT Reviewers' Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Booklist says, "Galen expertly entwines espionage-flavored intrigue with sizzling passion," and RT Bookreviews calls her "a grand mistress of the action/adventure subgenre." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making. Shana loves to hear from readers, so send her an email or see what she's up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.

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Can Dagmar flee Denmark

Dagmar Marie Sophie is a poverty-stricken Danish princess whose annoying royal cousin is about to have her stuffed away in a convent. When she finds a wounded man unconscious in her garden, she sees a way out of her desperate situation.

By Lying to Leo?

Leopold Ernst George Mortimer, seventh earl of March, and spy in the service of the king, finds himself on the wrong end of a saber and left for dead. He wakes up not remembering what happened...in the care of a beautiful woman who says she is his wife.

Back in London, Leo-with the help of his old friends the eccentric Britton family-sets out to unravel what he's forgotten... Is Dagmar truly the wonderful, irrepressible woman who makes his heart sing, or is she a dangerous enigma bent on his destruction?

About the Author:

For as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn't think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.

Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.

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GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Dozen of books

Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway