“Scandal Wears Satin” by Loretta Chase (historical, Avon, July 2012, $7.99, 384pp)

Series: The Dressmakers #2

Summary:
The Earl of Longmore's sister Lady Clara has gotten herself into trouble and must marry a man neither she or her family like.  But with the help of her dressmaker, Sophy Noirot, things just maybe all will turn out right.

The Proposal by Mary Balogh (historical, Delacorte, May 2012, $36.00, 320pp)

Summary: 
Lady Gwendoline Muir is rescued by Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham, an ex-military officer, while visiting a friend.  As she recovers the two develop a friendship, but fight their attraction as they struggle with class differences and inner demons.

Review: 
This was a wonderful story.  Lady Gwendoline is a minor character in other books by Mary Balogh but one does not have to have read those books as this story stands independently on its own.

“Coming Up Roses” by Catherine Anderson (historical, Signet, May 2012, $7.99, 432pp - reprint)

Summary: 
Widow Kate Blakely survived a cruel husband and now struggles to raise her daughter and keep her small farm afloat in 1890, Oregon.  Harboring a deep secret, she keeps new neighbor Zachariah McGovern at length until she must turn to him to help save her daughter.  When he nearly dies as a result, Kate nurses him back to health.  As Zach heals, Kate slowly learns to trust, but she isn’t sure she can trust him with her deepest secret.

“The Fireman Who Loved Me” by Jennifer Bernard  (contemporary, Avon Impulse, May 2012, $5.99, 384pp)

Series: Bachelor Fireman of San Gabriel

1. “The Fireman Who Loved Me” – Melissa & Harry
2. “Hot for Fireman” – Katie & Ryan (releases on May 29, 2012)

Summary: 
After a failed romance Melissa leaves a high profile job in LA to move back with her grandmother. Her grandmother drags her to a bachelor fireman auction where Melissa is mortified to learn her relative has won her a date with fireman Ryan Blake. Melissa only dates artists or intellectuals. Meanwhile, Ryan is horrified to go on a day with an "old lady" and begs his boss Harry Brody to go on the date instead.  Although, not her type, according to Melissa, the two immediately hit it off and the remainder of the book is a fun and sexy story as the two deal with family, co-workers and other situations to finally get together.

“The Seduction of Lady X” by Julia London (historical, Pocket, March 2012, $7.99, 400pp)

Series: Secrets of Hadley Green

1. “The Year of Living Scandalously” – Declan O’Connor & Keira Hannigan
2. “The Revenge of Lord Eberlin” – Lily Boudine & Tobin Scott
3. “The Seduction of Lady X” – Harrison Tolly & Olivia Hastings

Summary:
Suffering from a cold abusive marriage, the one bright spot in Lady Olivia Carey’s life is her husband’s steward Harrison Tolly, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Ashwood and rightful heir of his father’s estate.  Trapped in her marriage, she encourages the engagement of Tolly to her sister who returned from a tour of Spain pregnant.  Soon thereafter, Lady Carey begins to regret the match as she uncovers Tolly’s feeling for her and realizes hers for him.  That combined with her husband’s death leads to dilemmas on all sides.