Month: August 2017

Highland Flame by Mary Wine

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

Highland Flame (Highland Weddings, #4)Highland Flame by Mary Wine
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Brides, #4

Release Date: September 5, 2017

I really enjoyed this book – Mary Wine is such a great author, she is able to draw me in from the first page and hold me captive until the last.

The story opens with Jane being cast out of the inn she was staying in with her husband in just her shift. Her husband was killed and the innkeeper took all her possessions as payment due, he cast her out when she refused to sleep with him to cancel the debt. She is determined to return to her father’s house in England, so she sets out walking, but unbeknownst to her – she is going the wrong way.

Diocail is the new laird of the Gordon clan, he was the nephew of the former laird – a stingy, mean man who was murdered – but his clan is torn, many would be happy to overthrow Diocail and his household is a mess. To escape the strife, he leaves to go with his men to collect the rents. His men have encouraged him to take a wife who can set the household to rights. They figure if the men are feed and keep is in order, Diocail will have an easier time winning over the clan.

These two meet when Diocail save Jane from some ruffians bent on raping her. As grateful as she is, Jane does not want to stay with Diocail – a fact that she repeatedly tells him. When the opportunity arises, Jane makes a run for it – only to be captured and taken to be hung as a spy! When Diocail intervenes to save her (again) the crowd demands that he marry her.

They marry but Jane is still determined to go home to England and plans to have the marriage annulled. Diocail recognizes Jane’s worth and will not let her go easily. She is appalled by the state of the keep when she arrives and immediately begins to set things right. Diocail is more convinced than ever that Jane belongs with him. Slowly Jane begins to admit that she is happy with Diocail and just when it seems like these two are headed for a HEA, Ms. Wine throws the reader a curveball.

Not everyone is happy with Jane or with Diocail for that matter. So when Jane disappears, Diocail assumes the worst and refuses to believe that Jane did not leave him. Both Jane and Diocail are stubborn and when they engage in a battle of the wills – I was hard pressed to decide who would be the victor.

This book was well written, flowed nicely, has steamy love scenes, nasty villains, great secondary characters, amusing dialogue and a great ending.

I would highly recommend this book, it is the fourth in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title.

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

Last Gentleman Standing by Jane Ashford

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Last Gentleman StandingLast Gentleman Standing by Jane Ashford

Barbara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Stand Alone
Publication Date: 9/5/17

This was such a fun, delightfully entertaining story filled with wonderful robust characters. One of my favorite characters is Aunt Lavinia – she is absolutely priceless. She acts like she’s not all there, but she really is – and she constantly uses malapropisms – for instance, she says “I was living as cheaply as possible at a reverential hotel on the seacoast.” It was such a fun read that I could hardly put it down.

This is a clean read, so if you are looking for steam, this book isn’t for you. Sadly, the hero and heroine don’t even utter an “I love you”. I did like that the story took place over a long period of time so that there was time to feel that the hero and heroine to come to love each other.

Miss Elisabeth Elham inherits the entire estate of her mean, hateful, miserly, curmudgeon of an uncle. She’s never spoken to or met her uncle but her father had assured her that he wasn’t anybody she’d want to know. So, she was shocked to learn of the inheritance, but pretty quickly came to grips with it. Her first order of business was to contact her cousins, Tony and Belinda and bring them to live with her so they can share the good fortune. Elisabeth is very smart, independent and outspoken. Usually, if she thinks it – she says it. Therefore she is totally unlike any of the other young ladies in London and many of the gentlemen admire her for that.

Derek, son and heir of a Viscount, has never had any desire to marry because the simpering misses in London just make him shudder. However, when he meets frank, unguarded and outspoken Elisabeth, he is immediately attracted. Derek is not only handsome, but he’s honorable and honest as well.

Lord James Darnell is the only loose end that left me sad. If it were a series of books, I’d think he’d get his own book and HEA, but since it is a standalone book, I feel sad and unfinished for him. Yes, he is a fortune hunter, but it isn’t his fault and he fell in love with Elisabeth – and well – I didn’t want him to just go away. I wanted him to find happiness – somewhere away from his mother.

The villain is still a mystery to me. We never really learned his background other than he lost his money on a plantation. Then, there was stuff about his first wife – did he murder her or not. Her family says yes and he says no. I just never felt I understood enough about him. However – he was the villain.

“I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”