The Spanish Duke's Virgin Bride

Original Creator: Chantelle Shaw

Artist: Keiko Kishimoto

Publisher: Harlequin K.K./SOFTBANK Creative Corp.

Rating: Young Adults 16+

Release Date: March 2011

The premise of this title is so ridiculous, I don’t even know how to begin… ah well, here we go.

Agnus Beresford, a bank manager, gets hooked on online gambling and embezzles money from his branch of a bank to pay for his wife’s medical treatment. The wife dies anyway and he’s left in crippling debt, disgrace, and depression. The heroine, his daughter Grace Beresford, decides to try to settle the case outside of court by going straight to his boss, Duke Herrera. Conveniently, this “hero” needs to marry someone fast in order to keep his hold on his grandfather’s estate. Three guesses as to what happens. 

Royally Bedded, Regally Wedded - Review

Original Creator: Julia James

Artist: Masako Ogimaru

Publisher: Harlequin K.K./SOFTBANK Creative Corp.

Rating: Young Adults 16+

Release Date: March 2011

So I’m starting to realize that my desire to review manga is directly proportionally to how much I liked them.

The best word I have to sum up this story is “Meh.” After Lizzy’s sister dies, Lizzy takes on custody of her son, Ben. Trouble starts when Enrico, the 2^nd crown prince of a fictional Italian principality, shows up and demands that Ben return with him to Italy. Turns out Lizzy’s sister had been sleeping with the 3^rd crown prince of said fictional Italian principality. Lizzy ends up coming along for the ride, because Ben’s the only family she has left and because the plot says she does. She and Enrico bond over Ben, and eventually fall in love. Oh, like we didn’t see that coming. /sarcasm

Cowboys, Babies and Shotgun Vows - Review

Original Creator: Shirley Rogerson

Artist: Yoshiko Hanatsu

Publisher: Harlequin

Rating: Young Adults 16+

Release Date: March 2011

How could I resist a title like that? This is my first Harlequin manga, and I have to say I enjoyed the combination of shojo-tastic art and romance novel plot line

Ryder McCall and Ashley Bennet have a one-night stand in a motel room. “Don’t leave me!” she pleads, and Ryder spends the rest of the manga trying to make that happen, no thanks to Ashley herself. After a series of events that involve Ashley running away and Ryder tracking her down to a diner in the middle of nowhere (from the label on her pill bottle, no less. Is that legal?), he finally gets her to agree to become a live-in accountant for his family business. Oh yes, and she’s pregnant. With twins. Yeah, my suspension of disbelief took a vacation for this one…