Month: January 2018

A Devil in Scotland by Suzanne Enoch

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820), Top Pick - Highly RecommendedLeave a comment

A Devil in Scotland (No Ordinary Hero, #3)A Devil in Scotland by Suzanne Enoch

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: No Ordinary Hero #3
Publication Date: 1/30/18

I was mesmerized by the wonderfully well-written story right through the last page. As I grew to know the characters better and better, I was drawn more deeply into their stories. The planning, plotting, writing and execution of this book was flawless from beginning to end. You’ll fall helplessly in love with Callum from the immature, misguided, wild, reckless, hurt, and angry young man of twenty through the mature, vengeful, protective and very loving man of thirty. I didn’t want the book to end, but it was a delightful wrap-up to the series. You can read this as a stand-alone book even though it is part of a series. I read the first two books and loved them, so I’m glad I read them all.

The story opens in 1806 (near Inverness, Scotland) with a gut-wrenching scene. Callum is drunk and has just returned home from a period of drinking and wenching to learn that his brother, Ian, is now engaged to Callum’s long-time friend – Rebecca. Callum realizes that maybe he cares more for Rebecca than he realized and asks her to run away with him instead. Rebecca isn’t ‘in love’ with Ian, but she does love him and thinks that he’ll be a good, safe, steady husband for her and any children they have. She cares for Callum too but is smart enough to know that the raw, immature young man he is would not be good husband material. To add fat-to-the-fire, the Duke of Dunncraigh and his son are also there that night. Callum doesn’t trust the duke and thinks that he has some nefarious scheme afoot. When Ian overhears what Callum says to Rebecca, he orders him out of the house and tells him never to return. Callum goes, but before he does, he tries one last time to warn Ian about Dunncraigh – and he tells Dunncraigh that if anything happens to Ian, he’ll be back for vengeance – to end him.

Ten years later, Callum is in Kentucky – a very rich and successful distiller. He has abided by his brothers demand and has not made a return to Scotland. After about five years, his brother had spent a great deal of money to find him, but Callum did not read the letters at all. He just had his clerk burn them as soon as they arrived. Then, a fragment of a newspaper article caught the attention of his aid – and when Callum saw it, he knew – he just knew – that Ian had been murdered – and he knew who to punish for it. So, he was off on his journey back to Scotland. His biggest concern was how many were involved – was Rebecca involved? He didn’t care who or how many – they would all pay.

When Callum arrives in Inverness, he is remembered and treated as the wayward young man he had been ten years earlier. That was good. It was better they had no idea with whom they were now dealing. Then – plans abruptly change – he discovers his six-year-old niece and immediately loves her. That means he now has to keep her safe, figure out where Rebecca fits into the picture and punish the guilty parties.

What a wonderfully engrossing tale. You’ll love Callum and Rebecca as they get to know each other as the adults they are today rather than the children they were ten years ago. You’ll also love ‘Mags’ – Lady Margaret – Callum’s niece. She’s small, intelligent, curious, precocious, and has her uncle wrapped around her finger. Waya, the wolf is also exceptional and is gracious enough to accept Mags into her pack.

Please see my reviews of the first two books by clicking the book title below:

Please check out my reviews at:
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“I requested and received this e-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.”

A Scandal By Any Other Name by Kimberly Bell

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

A Scandal By Any Other Name (A Tale of Two Sisters, #2)A Scandal By Any Other Name by Kimberly Bell

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A Scandal by Any Other Name
Publication Date: 1/30/18

I am so pleased to have read this book. I was a little hesitant to request it because I had such mixed feelings about the first book in the series, but I’m so glad I decided to go ahead and request it. It is well plotted, the writing is excellent and it is filled with lighthearted humor and one-liners. I kept picturing Lucy and Ethel (from I Love Lucy) with a smattering of Wonder Woman thrown in. The Bishop sisters are true terrors. They defy convention and do their own thing – especially the older one who is featured in this book. The hero fits right in with the wit and charm of the sisters. What a perfect match.

I have to applaud this author for doing something I almost never see (have I ever seen it?). She featured a heroine with a serious, debilitating, life-threatening disability and she made her strong, intelligent, witty and very interesting. What a delightful change of pace.

Julia Bishop has had many great and wonderful adventures in her life – all in her imagination. Julia was born with spina bifida (although it isn’t specifically named in the book) and has miraculously survived to adulthood. That just never happened back then and the treatments were excruciating (that is true) because they injected iodine into the exposed spine. She still suffers from very frequent infections, etc. because of the disability. Julia and her sister are their father’s pride and joy and he spoils them rotten – but the mother is a real piece of work. She’s consumed with social climbing and if you read the first book, you know what she did to her younger daughter – so NOT motherly. Mother Bishop always kept Julia in hiding – away from any interaction with other people. She didn’t want others to think they were ‘tainted’. Julia’s only companion was her very much loved sister Amelia and they were so close they could barely stand being separated. How Julia managed to grow up to be as headstrong and well-adjusted as she is, just amazes. She knows who she is and isn’t afraid to tell or show anybody what it is she wants or thinks. Just imagine her delight when a real-life adventure rides right into her life.

Jasper DeVere has just insulted Queen Victoria by running out on the ceremony to induct him into Parliament and confirm his title of Duke of Albemarle. He didn’t mean to insult her – he just panicked – so he ran away. His grandfather and hero had just died and Jasper didn’t feel in the least competent to fill his shoes. Jasper flees and basically steals a horse outside the building – he has no idea where he is going – he just rides as fast as the horse will go for as long as it will go. He has no idea where he is and when he asks someone he realizes he is near the home of his friend Nicholas, so he heads toward his home expecting to stay with him and his new wife, Amelia, for a while.

As Jasper is riding up the drive toward the house, he spots a woman on a runaway horse and gives chase to save her. Julia is incensed that someone is stopping her horse – she’d given the horse its head and was allowing it to run with the wind and she was loving it! His stopping the horse causes her to be thrown from the horse – and when she sees that wonderfully handsome adventure just waiting for her to claim it – well – who could blame her. She knew who he was as soon as he gave his name – she’d dreamed of him for years, but she’d never met him because her mother didn’t allow her any interaction with anyone outside the immediate family. She also knew he’d know who she was if she gave him her name. Julia immediately became Juniper – Amelia’s cousin. After all, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him and maybe somebody would pay a little attention to her as a person rather than seeing her only as her disability.

Amelia and Nicholas are off on a trip and that leaves Julia (Juniper) and Jasper all alone on the estate. Their time together is magical and they come to really care for each other – but what will Jasper do when he discovers she is really Julia and not Juniper? The answer – love her for who she is!

I won’t give a blow-by-blow of the story because I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you, but I will tell you it is full of fun and whimsical entertainment – and heartbreaking angst – and love and an HEA. After getting almost to the end of the book I was thoroughly miffed and was thinking I’d give the book 2-stars at best because I didn’t consider that a happy ending. Then – more magic happened. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and hope you will too!

There are some exceptional secondary characters in the book. Nicholas and Amelia, of course. You met them in the first book and they have a sizeable role in this one as well. I particularly liked Julia’s father because he loves and supports his girls unconditionally and spoils them rotten. I also liked Julia’s maid, Nora. She definitely had her work cut out for her! I had mixed feelings about Jasper’s sister, Ruby. I think I’d like to see a third book in the series that gives Ruby her HEA as well.

See my review of the first book – The Importance of Being Scandalous

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

“I requested and received this e-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.”