Untameable (Zebra Regency Romance) [Paperback]

Catherine Blair (Author), Kate Huntington (Author), Donna Lea Simpson (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821774158
• ISBN-13: 978-0821774151
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,500,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Like most writers, I learned to read early and fell in love with books. The passion was strong enough that I would literally 'have my nose in a book', absorbing it, as if the plots and characters seeped through my skin and down to my bones. The world just seemed so much bigger in the pages of a book, and sometimes the characters in them were more vivid even than any of the folks I knew. I'm really not sure when I figured out that someone wrote the books I loved to read, and that maybe... just maybe!... I could be one of those people, those writers, but by the time I was about 12, I knew. The only life that really made sense was one that included writing.

Of course, after that, it took a loooong time before I connected the two facts; my love of writing, and that it was possible to choose it as a career. I dilly-dallied for a long time, doing anything but writing.

So I've done a lot of different things as 'work'. I've been a sales clerk, and a receptionist. I cleaned people's homes, and I've worked in a factory. But for the last ten years I've been an author, and it's everything I hoped it would be, and much, much more.

I first decided to try my hand at romance novels solely because there was a market for them, but then I fell in love with Regencies! I'd read all of Jane Austen's books, as well as Maria Edgeworth, so I had a little background in the period, though it was woefully inadequate for what I needed. I read a lot of Regencies, too, though: Mary Balogh, Patricia Veryan, Jo Beverley, Mary Jo Putney. But the fun really began when I wrote my first Regency romance for a (very small) publisher, then wrote another and approached Kensington with a quivering stomach and loads of fluttery butterflies.

I was lucky. They were enthusiastic about Lord St. Claire's Angel, and voila, I had a writing career. I loved writing Regencies, but before long it was time to branch out, and since then I've written mysteries, contemporary romances and paranormal romance. What I love most about writing is creating characters and weaving their lives, tormenting them a little, then letting them find happiness, love and fulfillment. I write what I like to read, and I love mystery in my romance, and romance in my mystery!

Do I have a life outside of writing? Well, of course! I have a lot of other interests, among them cooking, the outdoors, crafts (beading, cross-stitching, etc.) collecting vintage cookware. I like to read, especially mysteries. I enjoy a nice glass of wine with friends, and summer evenings on the patio. I'm lucky to be surrounded by wonderful family and lots of friends.

I hope you enjoy my books, and come back occasionally. I've got lots more stories up my sleeve, and won't rest until I put them down on paper!

Have a great reading day!

Donna Lea Simpson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From not so good to EXCELLENT!, November 27, 2008

By 

Laura Miller ""Romance, Old School" B... (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Untameable (Zebra Regency Romance) (Paperback)

Since each story is quite unique, I'll comment on each novella separately...

The Rogue's Wife by Catherine Blair: I give this story 2 stars. Something about it gave me an icky chill. These two characters, according to a totally unbelievable storyline, fall in love but they are so blind they don't "see" each other. Lady Charlotte thinks the best thing she can do for her husband is push him into all the icky things he supposedly loves to do, namely, drink, gamble, and womanize. John, of course, thinks he should be able to keep his former life--until his wife actually pushes him into it. Both these characters seemed lifeless, abstract, completely one-sided.

A Breath of Scandal by Kate Huntington: 4 stars for this story. In the beginning, I found Miss Abigail Pennington more annoying than anything. The fact that she raised her niece and loved her like a daughter for some reason made it imperative that she obsess over the girl's engagement to a very deserving young man. Enter handsome, charming, wonderfully strong Gabriel Bourbonnais, who may or may not be royalty. Abby's niece takes one look at the enigmatic foreigner and thinks he's perfect, much to her fiance's chagrin. Somehow, according to Abby, this is all Gabriel's fault--which I found rather annoying. Once Abby loosened up a bit, she was an interesting person. Gabriel was mysterious enough to be completely fascinating. The budding romance was more believable in this story than the previous and a certain scene near the end almost had me in tears.

A Rogue's Rescue by Donna Simpson: A whopping 5 stars for Ms. Simpson's touching tale of love and revenge--with an amusing bit of comedy thrown in for good measure. Lord Ingram is one of my all-time favorite Regency heroes. There is just something about a darkly handsome, brooding lord with a reputation based mostly on gossip. The heroine was quite likable, too. Ariadne Lambert is a spinster over 30 and plain as can be. Her self-esteem, however, is wonderful. I was truly impressed. After being told that a certain unscrupulous man is blackmailing a friend of a friend, Ari is determined to teach him a lesson. Her plan is going swimmingly until Ingram decides to rescue her. Not realizing she is trying to set the other man up for a fall, Ingram lets her know the man preys on silly, plain, rich spinsters for their money. It takes him a while to see through Ari's "brainless" act to the intelligent woman beneath. Their falling in love is gradual, believable, and very lovely. Of course, with all these misunderstandings, a mild element of humor is inevitable.

Overall, this book rates a 4.