[ARC Review]: "The World is a Stage"

The World is a Stage by Tamara Morgan

Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (June 5, 2012)

Series: Games of Love, 2

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Highland Games athlete Michael O’Leary is famous for his ability to charm a woman right out of her pants. Maybe a little too famous. When he’s sidelined with a knee injury, his wingman pounces on the chance to take full advantage of Michael’s idle time.

Trying out for the local adult-themed Shakespearean production seems simple, but there’s a catch. Michael must woo the notoriously demanding lead actress, Rachel Hewitt, thereby freeing his friend to pursue a courtship of Rachel’s sister.

Rachel hates the thought of handing over the lead role in her admittedly scandalous troupe to someone so wholly uneducated in the ways of the Great Bard. But she’s in a bind, and the only one who can step up is a man who looks way too good in a codpiece—and knows it.

To add insult to injury, he refuses to take the role until she agrees to take his place in some barbaric warrior race. She’ll do it, but not with a smile. Unfortunately, the hardest part isn’t antagonizing her Scottish foes. It’s resisting the one man who seems determined to line and cue her heart—forever.


Warning: This book’s half-naked Shakespearean actors are not approved of or acknowledged by people with actual literary merit. Neither are the dirty limericks.

 
Where to Buy*:

 Kindle | NOOK | Publisher

More Info:

Author's Site | Excerpt

Other Books in the Series:
Click on the covers to buy from BN.

Book 1: Love is a Battlefield
Read my Review!

My Review:

Tamara Morgan has done it again, giving readers a glimpse into the Highland Games Society, in a book filled with wit, dirty jokes, brawny men and strong women, not to mention a great romance! Be warned: you will sigh and blush a bit, and laugh out loud, which may cause others to look at your funny—ignore this and enjoy the book! :)

Michael O'Leary is a cocky, but totally loveable, guy. He knows he's a catch and he enjoys making jokes about it—and everything else he can think of. Dirty jokes are his specialty, and I doubt there's a teenage boy out there with a dirtier mind than Mikey! He's been competing in the Highland Games for years, but a reoccurring knee injury may finally take him out of the competition—for good. Then what will he do?

Rachel Hewitt followed in her mother's footsteps by becoming a stage actress. But rather than turning to booze and men, like her mother, Rachel goes for power, control, though she she doesn't yet realize it. She picks up after her mother—time and time again—and she's there for her sister, trying to protect her from dating the wrong guys (again). But she forgets about herself, and refuses to tie herself to anyone—physically or emotionally. When Molly gets involved with a man who looks like he can be the poster child for bad-boyfriend-choice, Rachel may take things too far in her quest to protect. Can she fix things or will Molly refuse to speak to her ever again?

Although The World is a Stage is much different from Morgan's first book, I loved it all the same. I loved the humor in this book—I think I spent the entire time reading the book with a smile on my face! Giggles may have also escaped my mouth. :) In short, it was a blast, a fun read with fun characters and writing, not to mention a great romance.

Michael—oh Michael! He was great, very unique and funny and dirty-minded, not to mention the fact that he can pull off wearing a kilt. Yum!

Now Rachel, although a strong heroine, kind of bugged me. I can understand her being a bit leery of men after all the problems Molly has had with them, but the lengths she goes to to get rid of Eric pissed me off. Eric was a good man—and father—and if Rachel had even attempted to learn more about him, get to know him, she would have known this. I wanted to shake her, many times over, and tell her to open her eyes, change the way she acted, realize that Michael was there for her and that Eric wasn't going to kill her sister.

Yes, she finally came around, but, for me, it took too long. But even this little character flaw wasn't enough to throw me off the book—another talent of Tamara's, I think. Being able to write characters and events that may bug us, but we still love the overall story all the more for it. :)

I was a bit disappointed in Rachel and Michael's relationship though. The sexual tension between them was pretty heated through most of the book, but the only love scene they received was not only short, but practically nonexistent. All we know is they had a sweet hour or two in the fields—not what I expected from that at all! Michael is more complex than many think, I'll agree, but he's still very much the kind of alpha man to press a woman against a wall and show her what she needs—and he never did. (sigh)

4.5 STARS! A fun (scratch that—hilarious!) contemporary, The World is a Stage is a great pick, and one I highly recommend. While reading the book, I had just as much fun highlighting Michael's (maaaany) dirty quotes as I did watching him finally get through to Rachel. And I'd like to say that if any romance series should be made into movies, it's Morgan's Games of Love series. They would both make great romantic comedies—and I'd be first in line to watch them! :) Just saying... If you loved book one, you'll love this one! And if you have yet to try Tamara's work, all I have to say is: what are you waiting for?

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I received this eARC from the author, in exchange for my honest review.
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Enjoy!


Until Next Time,

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