Month: June 2017

The Traitor’s Club: Ford by Laura Landon

On By TracyIn Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

traitors club - ford
The Traitor’s Club: Ford by Laura Landon

Release Date: 05/30/17
Series: The Traitor’s Club, #1

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lady Calinda aka Callie was burned years ago by her betrothed and has decided that men cannot be trusted and wants no part of marriage. She is content to help her grandfather run the Crown’s shipping company.

Captain Ford Remington is one of the “Queen’s Scoundrels”, he has returned from the war and is at loose ends, he feels a bit of survivor’s guilt and desperately wishes there was something he could do for all the wound/crippled soldiers that were not as fortunate as he and his friends were. His chance arises when the Queen requests his assistance with the Crown’s Shipping Company. Profits have been declining for years and she wants Ford to go undercover and find out why. His reward will be half interest in the company. The money will enable Ford to help those soldiers, so while he has no desire to spy again, he can’t turn away this opportunity.

Ford meets Callie at a ball and befriends her – he feels badly about deceiving her, but he has a mission and until he learns more, she is a suspect. Callie is shocked at her reaction to Ford, she hasn’t had any interest in a man since her ill fated betrothal. Even though she tries to keep Ford at a distance, she feels a connection to him and begins to share her worries about the company with him.

As they work together to figure out who is stealing from the company and how, they fall in love. Ford can never seem to find the right time to tell Callie about his mission and knows the longer he waits, the harder it will be for her to forgive him.

Things come to a head and when Callie finds out the truth, she shuts him out. She refuses to talk to him, listen to him or read his letters. Up until this point, I though this was a 5 star read – but the way she acted turned me off and I had a hard time liking her after that. She came across as a hypocrite since she was also keeping secrets from her family and especially from her grandfather. She assumed the worst about Ford and steadfastly refused to believe she might be mistaken.

She does redeem herself (sort of) but for me, it was too little, too late.

The book is well written, interesting, moves at a steady pace, has very mild love scenes (kissing only), great secondary characters and a decent mystery. I loved Ford, from the first page to the last and I look forward to reading the other “traitors” stories.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

Falling for the Highlander by Lynsay Sands

On By TracyIn Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Falling for the Highlander (Highlanders, #4)Falling for the Highlander by Lynsay Sands
Series: Highlanders, #4
Release Date: 01/31/17

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, but I will be honest – it has been so long between books in this series, that I honestly don’t remember reading about Murine in the previous novels.

Murine has been living with her half-brother in England since her father died the previous year. She is not happy in his home and feels isolated – she has not heard from her friends since she moved and is beginning to wonder if they are getting her messages. When she learns that a group of Scotsmen are coming to see her brother, she wonders if she can convince one of them to carry her message to Saidh.

Dougall has come to England to sell horses to Murine’s brother. When her brother cannot produce the coin to pay, he offers Dougall his sister in exchange – not to marry, just to “use” until he feels the debt is repaid. Dougall is outraged and disgusted by the offer and refuses. When her brother suggests that they wait a day because he is sure his neighbor would pay to use his sister – Dougall makes it clear that even if Montrose got the money, Dougall would never sell his horses to him. He and his brothers immediately leave the castle and travel to the village.

Murine is humiliated and appalled by her brother’s offer and knows that he will sell her – she decides that she must leave and travel to Saidh’s home and hope that she can help her.

When she meets up with Dougall and his brothers on the road – they are surprised to learn that she is their sister Saidh’s friend – the very friend that saved her life! They agree to take her to Saidh and protect her from her brother. Before they can start out – men from her brother’s castle come looking for her and Dougall orders his brothers to hide her. While hiding, Murine faints, Dougall takes her up on his horse and holds her so tightly, that each time she comes to, she faints again from lack of air. When they finally stop to rest the horses – it is amusing to see Dougall and his brothers doting on Murine.

The trip to Scotland is plagued with “accidents” which Dougall believes are caused by Murine’s tendency to faint – even when she insists that she did not faint. Dougall and his brother’s agree that Murine must be saved from her brother and think that she should marry as soon as possible. Several of the brothers offer, and even though he is not in the market for a wife – Dougall doesn’t want anyone but him to marry her. There is a bit of a misunderstanding between Murine and Dougall after they kiss.

They realize that they are being followed just before they reach their home and Murine is injured – Once they arrive in the gates – Dougall announces that he is going to marry Murine. But first she must be tended. While Murine is recovering – Dougall and his brothers learn that Murine’s brother is nearby and looking for her – Dougall takes Murine into hiding and their relationship begins to blossom.

It appears that these two will get their HEA, but first they will have to solve the mystery of who is trying to kill them and why.

This was a good book, it is well written and flows nicely, the love scenes were steamy, the mystery was well done and while it was amusing, it was not nearly as funny as previous books by Ms. Sands. I especially enjoyed catching up with Saidh and Greer and Dougall’s brothers are always entertaining (seriously hope they all get a book!) I would be happy to recommend this book and am looking forward to the next installment in the series.