Month: July 2017

The Greatest Challenge of Them All by Stephanie Laurens

On By BarbaraIn Victorian Era (1837-1901)1 Comment

The Greatest Challenge Of Them All (Cynster Next Generation Novels Book 6)Barbara’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Devil’s Brood Trilogy #3
Publication Date: 7/13/17

Stephanie Laurens always entertains us with charming characters, exciting plots, and characters that you will never forget. Her words just fly off the page, grab you and pull you right into the story and don’t let you go until it is done.

This book is an exceptional wrap-up to the trilogy. You really can’t read this book as a stand-alone because it is part of a trilogy with an overarching mystery that must be solved for Queen and Country.

The first book featured Sebastian Cynster (Devil’s heir) and Antonia Rawlings (eldest daughter of the Earl of Chillingworth) who are sent to Kent to investigate a missive sent to Drake Varisey (Heir to the Duke of Wolverston) saying that the sender has important information he must share. As they investigate, they discover that the plot involves a large shipment of gunpowder being sent to London.

The second book featured Michael Cynster (Devil’s second son) and Cleo Hendon (only daughter of the Jack and Kit Hendon of Hendon Shipping Company). The gunpowder has now reached London and Michael and Cleo have to locate it and stop the plot if they can.

This book, the third and final one, features Lord Drake Varisey and Louisa Cynster (only daughter of Devil – also known as Lady Wild in the ton). Their task is to stop the gunpowder from being delivered to its final destination, identify the target and identify the mastermind behind the plot.

All of these ladies are strong, bold, intelligent, and determined not to be left out of the investigation. Louisa has a long history with Drake – their families have always been friends and Louisa has always known that Drake was the one for her. Drake basically always knew that Louisa was the one for him, but he was fighting it tooth and nail because he thought that love and marriage would be a weakness in his role for the Crown. However, when Louisa insinuates herself, uninvited, into the investigation, he soon comes to value how much she can contribute.

All three of the couples are featured in this book although the main focus is on Drake and Louisa. All of the couples are zipping all over London trying to investigate different aspects of the plot as well as trying to keep up their social obligations as betrothed couples.

Of course, one of my favorite characters is Lady Osbaldestone who is absolutely ancient by now and has been featured in many of the Cynster novels.

The mystery is intense and the target is unexpected as is the mastermind and his reasons for the plot. You’ll just have to read the story to find all of that out.

His Highland Heart by Willa Blair

On By TracyIn Romcon Editorial Reviews, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

His Highland HeartHis Highland Heart by Willa Blair

Release Date: February 01, 2017

Series: His Highland Heart, #1

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story opens with Euan Brodie being shipwrecked on Ross lands, he is in hostile territory and has been separated from his crew. He is injured and wracked with guilt over the loss of his ship and crew. His first encounter with Muireall Munro is when he saves her from being swept out to sea.

Muireall was taken captive almost a month prior when the Ross clan raided her lands and stole her and two other girls as brides. Muireall has yet to be matched with a Ross clansman, but that will change in a matter of days if she cannot escape. She has tried more than once and has the marks to prove it. When she is cut off from the cove by the rising tide, she is sure that she will die. But Euan risks his own safety to save her and she feels a glimmer of hope that she might be able to get home.

Muireall and Euan don’t exactly trust each other, but they work together to reach caves above the tide line and hatch a plan to escape the Ross’. As much as she doesn’t want to, Muireall agrees to return the village and will try to persuade Ella, one of the other Munro girls to leave with her and to aid Euan escape.

After Muireall returns to the beach, she is immediately caught by the Ross laird, who promptly gives her to his second in command as a bride. Euan lets her go, but has promised to return her to her family. When she leave the cave and he doesn’t hear her, he follows her. Once he knows she is back in the village and decides to search for food and water and ends up finding Calum, one of his lost crewmen.

When Muireall is cornered by the Ross laird, she runs in the woods trying to find Euan. When she stubbles upon him, the Ross laird and his guard ambush them. In a fight for his life, Euan ends up killing the Ross laird and escaping with Muireall and Calum. When they make it to the cove to steal a boat, they find another crewman, unfortunately, he did not survive. Euan has promised to take Muireall home, but he must first return James’ body to his family. He asks her to try and be patient just a little longer.

When they arrive back at Brodie, Euan immediately wants to go back and find his other missing crew members, but Iain Brodie, Laird Brodie refuses to let him go, he also refuses to return Muireall to Munro until he knows what is happening with the Ross clan.

Over the next few days, Muireall is cared for by the Brodie clan and grows closer to Euan, but she just wants to go home, even when the Brodie clansmen return with news and Ella, she is impatient to leave.

When a Ross warrior shows up and tells Iain that they have one of his clansmen and will kill him if the man who murdered their laird and the girls are not returned to them, Muireall is frantic – she will not return to the Ross clan and she doesn’t want Euan to go either. Iain refuses to admit that they had anything to do with death of the Ross laird and sends the warrior back empty handed. Again Muireall asks to be sent home and is again denied.

When Euan is able to redeem himself and with the help of Muireall come up with a plan to make a peace offering to the new Ross laird, Iain gives Muireall permission to return home.

Before they leave, Euan admits his feelings to Muireall and is hurt that she doesn’t immediately agree to marry him. He returns her to her family and again makes his feelings known and is again rejected.

He leaves to return to Brodie and they are both heartbroken, until one of them finally swallows their pride and returns to their love. Even when our lovers are reunited, Ms. Blair isn’t finished with the story and throws in another twist or two.

This was a well written book, it flowed nicely, had a lot of tense moments, a lot of heartache and a little steam. I did feel like Muireall was unreasonable at times and maybe a tad selfish. And towards the end of the book, she really became annoying, rejecting Euan, yet being upset that he didn’t ask her father for her hand. If I was confused, I can only imagine what poor Euan was feeling 😊

All in all, it was a very entertaining read and I would be happy to recommend it to anyone who enjoys highland historicals.

**Review was done as an editorial review for Romcon and originally posted at Romcon Reviews**