Hello, and welcome back! Things are beginning to calm down here, both at home and at work, which makes me very happy: it means that very soon I can get back to my normal schedule of reading and writing and not feeling too brain-dead for much of anything by the time I get home at the end of the day. I have just a couple of December books left here, to share with you, and this time out, it's the last of the historicals here on my desk for the year.

Barbara Pierce's Naughty By Nature (St. Martin's) stars Patience Farnaly, aka Winlow, who's been surviving as best she can with her traveling troupe (after believing their former leader loved her, and leaving her family home with him) and living with a dreadful secret for years. Now, the Earl of Ramscar offers her a new start, a new job as companion to his physically and emotionally scarred sister. Patience takes it, though it means fighting a powerful attraction to Ram. But she must fight it, because she can't possibly share her secrets with him and keep him. For his part, Ram cannot resist seducing her, though he quickly finds there is deep emotion between them. But someone is determined to see her pay for one of her mistakes, so her past cannot stay hidden, but by then, Ram is determined to have her for keeps. The slight mystery will not puzzle most readers at the end of the tale. I found this one mostly sweet. But it didn't really stand out in any way for me from any of dozens of romances available, which is disappointing. It was pleasant enough for a few hours reading, but it is not a keeper for me.

Which makes me wonder, what were some of the best historical romances this year? I'm sure you all have different ideas, and I'd love if you'd come and share them with us over in the forum.

Until next time, happy reading!