Harriet Klausner's Review Archive
Sleeping naked and alone at the Tynweith house party, Earl Robert Hamilton was awakened when two large naked breasts hovered over his nose. Instantly realizing what Lady Felicity Brookton had in mind as she prepared to scream, he jumps out the window. He climbs through another bedroom window that of Lady Elizabeth Runyon, who is a bit tipsy and naked too while admitting to him she loves him.
Though troubled by jumping from the fire into the frying pan, Robbie thinks that Elizabeth is desirable. As he considers how to convince him they belong together, he finds himself drooling over his vision of her naked boobs. While Felicity plots, Robert and Elizabeth fall in love, but is a naked encounter enough for a permanent relationship.
As with THE NAKED DUKE, THE NAKED EARL is an amusing nineteenth century romantic romp that readers will relish. The story line strips away all pretenses of the Ton as the lead couple matches up quite nicely in and out of the boudoir. Historical romance fans will appreciate the fun frolics of the naked lady and her naked gentleman while seeking previous series tales (see THE NAKED DUKE and THE NAKED MARQUIS).
The Midwife of St. PetersburgLinda Lee ChaikinWaterbrook, Apr 2007, $13.99ISBN: 140007083X
Karena Peshkov dreams of going to medical school, but the Imperial College of Medicine ignores her annual application. By 1914, Karena has accepted that she will never be trained as a doctor so she makes the best of helping her Jewish mother, the village midwife. She accepts an invitation to spend some time with her cousin Tatiana Roskov, daughter of an influential Czarist general. At the affluent estate she meets Colonel Alexsandr Kronstadt. They are attracted to one another but he is intended for Tatiana.
Trying to provide medical assistance to the neglected impoverished peasants becomes nearly impossible as Karena and her injured mother are forced to flee to St. Petersburg. The Bolsheviks accuse the two female Peshkovs of royal connections while the Czarist secret police believes she is a Bolshevik assassin. Neither side cares one iota about the truth as power is all that matters. Unable to remain neutral anymore as he fell in love with Karena at the Roskov estate, Alex risks his military career to insure she is safe though he does not dare go anywhere near her.
This is a deep look at Russia during the turbulent end of the Tsarist reign and subsequent competition to replace the monarchy. The story line is mostly seen through the discerning eyes of Karena, but to a degree the audience also obtains the insights of Alex. Romance fans will hope they will find a way to be together during the torrential chaotic era while historical readers will thoroughly enjoy Linda Lee Chaikin's deep look at revolution in WWW I era Russia.