A Perfect Hero

Although the first book in this trilogy was my favorite, that doesn't knock this book out of the running for awesome read. I really enjoyed every bit of this book. I thought it was so cute and sweet( and okay a little sappy)the way he called her "kitten" throughout the book. It showed he had affection for her from the beginning of their relationship. Of course anyone who lets you SHOOT you and not be the slightest bit angry with you must have some affection for you. I can't think of one thing that bothered me about this book and i wouldn't hesitate to say so if there was. It was fast paced and kept my attention from start to finish. I'm a little sad to be done with the Sterling family, but i thought it was a wonderful end to the trilogy.

This is definitely one of Samantha James' better books, in my opinion. Both characters felt "real" and made me believe they were in love with one another deeply. Both had great senses of humor too, which is always a plus. This book had everything you need to create a good romance: a dashing hero, a beautiful heroine and, most of all...PASSION! This book is sharp and fast-moving. Filled with Lovable characters, exciting and not too heavy action-mystery twists. Lots of laugh out-loud, I-can't-believe-they-did-that scenes and oh so plenty of heart warming moments. The reader will feel the despair, the heartbreak, passion and the joy of Dane and Julianna in this very excellent character driven romance. I found the characters to be multi-dimensional and the author weaves a mystery into the story without slowing it down or interrupting the romantic flow. The plot and characters seemed fresh, the pace was quick, and it was a totally engrossing read. Full of enjoyable supporting characters and stories. I love this book.

This is only the second Samantha James book I have read. I found it as good as the first. Both characters were likeable. The story moves along and doesn't stall like some other books. Excellent read.

The third and final installment in the Sterling Family trilogy (A Perfect Bride & A Perfect Groom), A Perfect Hero was the strongest of the three books. We find not only resolution and closure for the Julianna Sterling (the heroine), but also for her brothers (the heros) from the previous books. After being left at the altar, Julianna Sterling vows she will never marry without being in love, but most likely never. She wants a little excitement in her life and gets exactly that when one night her coach is accosted by the infamous highwayman, Magpie (Viscount Dane Granville--undercover). Julianna is injured in the heist and awakens to find herself in a cottage (in the middle of nowher) with only Magpie and a cat for company. Angry & resentful towards Dane initially, after a turn of events, Julianna finds herself opening up and being drawn to Dane. The two begin to fall in love, but are ripped apart when Julianna refuses to watch Dane (Magpie)--whom she knows has a secret--throw his life away. Julianna goes on with her life trying to put her experience with Dane behind her. That is...until she is "introduced" one evening to the Viscount Granville, Dane (Magpie). The two are then thrown into a suspense-filled love affair as Dane tries to capture a villain and Julianna tries to hold it all together (a puzzle from her past, her feelings for Dane, and hoping Dane isn't harmed). In the end, it is Julianna's bravery and proactive attitude that secures she and Dane's future. Though a little different from your typical Regency romance, the romance between Julianna and Dane is an absolute delight!!! Readers of the previous novels will be pleased to see Justin and Sebastian reappear, as the three siblings reveal secrets(to each other) regarding their past suffering at the hands of their abusive father. The three finally put their past to rest and renew their love and commitment to each other. This was not at all redundant and was a most-fitting end to the trilogy, as we were able to see how the abuse of their father and abandonment of their mother, impacted Julianna (for the first time).

After enjoying "A Perfect Bride" and being disappointed by "A Perfect Groom," I wasn't sure what to expect with the last of the trilogy. However, my expectations were exceeded. Great, fast moving plot with just the right amount of involvement from the other characters in the series, and a few surprises here and there. Julianna and Dane are well-written, extremely likeable characters and I loved how the story was woven around their relationship and not vice versa. The one drawback was some annoying dialogue: "kitten" and "elusive hurt" ad nauseum, but if you can ignore it, you'll find this a great romantic novel and will want to keep it easily accessible on your bookshelf.