Month: March 2018

It Happened In The Highlands by May McGoldrick

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander1 Comment

It Happened in the Highlands (The Pennington Family, #2)It Happened in the Highlands by May McGoldrick

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Pennington Family #2
Publication Date: 3/27/18

This exciting and interesting tale is the second installment in May McGoldrick’s Pennington Family series. It is well paced, well written, and well plotted. Don’t let the book blurb fool you, he didn’t exactly walk away from the betrothal because of the gossip. So, if that description puts you off – as it did me – I’d say give it a chance – because it isn’t exactly accurate. I won’t give you his reasons because you need to read the book to find out. Now, I WILL say that I understand his reasoning, but NOT his timing. He was a very smart and capable man and should have recognized his dilemma long before he did. So, as I said – if that trope bothers you and you are thinking of not reading it because of it – give it a chance, I think you’ll like it.

We met Josephine Pennington (Jo) in the first book of the series – Romancing the Scot. You couldn’t help but like her in that one. She’s no less likable in this one, but I did feel she was a bit of a doormat. I really did enjoy watching her grow a spine. It wasn’t that she wasn’t smart and decisive, she just couldn’t stand conflict – especially when that conflict involved her. She allowed others to gossip viciously about her without any confrontation at all – she’d just run away. That forced everyone who loved her, especially the males, to be more and more protective of her. I was so very happy to see her grow a spine – and use it toward the end of the book. There is a scene with Lady Nithsdale at around the 95-96% mark that you will absolutely LOVE!

Captain Wynne Melfort is the younger son of a hateful, vindictive, spiteful, bigoted Baron – and his mother is as bad as his father. It would take a lot for a very young man to go against them and society. I was glad to learn that he found his bravery and was an accomplished leader in the Royal Navy. I think it took him a while, but he did get there. I believe my main reservation about him is his timing. I do sort of understand his reasoning for jilting Jo, what I question is his timing. Early on in the relationship, he knew ALL of the things he used as an excuse – he could have just skipped the proposal altogether or given her a choice to jilt him earlier. Instead, he made the decision for both of them. Then, he tells her in a letter! Granted, he called on her, but when she was out he left a letter breaking their engagement – say what! Talk about cowardice.

Sixteen years after the broken betrothal, Wynne is retired from the navy and has gone into partnership with his ship’s surgeon. They have opened an innovative hospital for people with mental illness. Wynne is the director of the hospital and the surgeon, of course, is the doctor. (BTW – you’ll love the doctor and I’m sure we will see him in his own story later). Wynne is also a widower with a son, Cuffe (wish I knew how to pronounce that). They are in the Highlands and Cuffe is having a hard time adjusting to the changes in his life.

They have a patient in their hospital who is uncommunicative – but he keeps sketching pictures of the same woman. Once Wynne sees the sketches, he recognizes the woman immediately – it is Jo. Wynne knows how important it is to Jo that she find her origins and Wynne thinks maybe this patient might hold a clue to those origins. So, he has Dr. McKendry write to Jo and include a copy of the sketch. Wynne knows that Jo will come to the hospital to see the patient, and he plans to be away while she is there – except she shows up earlier than expected.

The story leads the two of them into discoveries of many kinds. Discoveries about themselves, discoveries about their feelings for each other, discoveries about how strong they really are – so many things. As they search for Jo’s origins, they have to deal with villains, love and a lonely, unhappy little boy.

While I liked the first book better, this one is still a great read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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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.”

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks

On By TracyIn Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon (The Embraced, #3)Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks

Series: The Embraced, #3

Release Date: March 27, 2018

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Gwennore is the 3rd “sister” of the Embraced from the Isle of Moon, she is Elven, but this doesn’t stop her sisters from trying to find a match for her.

While avoiding her matchmaking sisters and rude courtiers, she slips away with Luciana’s daughter Eviana to pick flowers. Far away from the others, they become easy prey when a dragon swoops down and snatches Eviana. Gwen is not letting her go without a fight and grabs the dragon as it is flying away. When the dragon shakes her loose, she is caught and saved by another dragon. This is when she learns that she can communicate with dragons, her dragon tells her he will return her and Eviana unharmed, but she must be patient. Gwen asks the dragon’s name and when he doesn’t respond, she names him Puff. The dragon sets her down on the ground near Eviana and tells her to trust the General.

Gwen and Eviana are escorted to the palace by guards and the Queen Freya announces that Eviana is her daughter. When Gwen touches the Queen her gift activates and she learns the Queen is being poisoned and is dying and going mad. The Queen demands that Gwen be arrested and thrown in the dungeon, Gwen calls out to Puff but just then, the most gorgeous man Gwen has ever seen arrives and saves her – General Silas Dravenko

Gwen and Eviana are taken to the nursery and everyone believes that Gwen is Silas’ mistress, she is shown a room and while she is changing she sees the sifter Brody, she lets him in her room and tells him what has happened. Silas enters and tells Brody that he will return them tomorrow, but he begs Gwen to stay and help save the Queen and his people.

Gwen agrees, but is not happy that everyone thinks they are lovers, Silas flirts shamelessly with her and she doesn’t believe that he is sincere as she has always been shunned for her heritage. But as they work together, Gwen begins to believe that he does accept her, but Silas has many secrets and she doesn’t know if she can trust her heart to him. When they learn that the poisoning of the Queen may lead back to the Chameleon, secrets will have to be revealed and Gwen will have to decide if she can forgive Silas for his deception or walk away and return to her sisters.

This is a wonderful story, but before these two get their HEA there will be tons of witty dialogue, excellent secondary characters, lots of secrets, shocking twists, trolls, dragons, shifters, surprise revelations, new villains joining old villains, some tears and a couple of steamy love scenes.

This is the third book in the series and while it can be read as a stand alone, it is best to read the series in order. I knocked off a 1/2 star for modern verbiage – which may or may not be fair – this is a fantasy world but the author portrays it as a medieval type world, so when a heroine wearing a gown, worrying about her reputation being ruined, while in a castle lit by candles spews out phrases like – hitched a ride, jump his bones and I’m pissed – it seems out of place. But please don’t let a little modern verbiage stop you from reading this series – it is fantastic!

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

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