Month: October 2020

The Highlander’s Destiny by Mary Wine

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Highlander's Destiny (Highland Rogues, #2)The Highlander’s Destiny by Mary Wine

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Rogues, #2

Release Date: November 3, 2020

After waiting years for Cormac Grant, her betrothed to claim her, Cora Mackenzie is restless and jumps at the chance to ride out with her brother’s men to deliver a message to Rolfe Munro. She is aware by doing so, her brother is letting her know that she is free to follow her heart rather than marry Cormac. Cora likes Rolfe, but he doesn’t inspire feelings anything deeper than friendship. She and the party are returning to Mackenzie land when a vicious storm breaks and Cora is washed away. She fights for her life and amazingly survives, but drenched and freezing, she won’t last long, so it is nothing short of miraculous that she sees a man standing just a few feet away.

Faolan McKay is stunned to see a beautiful woman cursing the sky, but he quickly realizes that she is not a mythical siren, but a flesh and blood woman in danger of freezing to death. He helps her to the tower and gets her out of her wet clothes, tucks her into bed and climbs in to share his heat. When she wakes, he is gone. She dresses and ventures out of the tower. She soon discovers that the tower is part the construction of a look out for the McKay clan. There are no women at the site and she rolls up her sleeves and cleans the kitchen and prepares a meal. She is intrigued by Faolan and feels the spark that she has been hoping for, she can see that he returns her regard, but he holds himself at bay and when a maid named Brynna shows up from the McKay Keep, Faolan immediately has her act as chaperone and takes Cora to the Keep.

Things at the McKay Keep are tense and Cora soon learns that Faolan is the half-brother of Malcolm, the laird of the McKays and that he used to court Malcolm’s wife Noreen – who happens to be the half-sister of her betrothed. Tensions escalate and Faolan and Cora end up married, but when Faolan fails to consummate the marriage, believing he will seek an annulment to free Cora, Malcolm gets involved and things turn deadly. Soon Faolan and Cora find themselves as Laird and Lady of the clan with the possibility of HEA within reach, but plots to destroy them abound and they will have to root out a traitor before they can even think about their future.

This was a very good, well written, fast-paced story with very likable characters. The book has action, betrayal, warm to steamyish love scenes, multiple villains, accusations of witchery, traitors, some amusing banter, great secondary characters, a very sweet, romantic declaration of love and finally a very, very, very hard won HEA. As much as I enjoyed this book, there were some things that left me baffled and some minor inconsistencies and typos, that didn’t ruin the book for me, but that did rob it of a five-star rating. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title with no problems. Overall, I did enjoy this book, I am happy to recommend it and I will definitely be looking forward to the next installment in the series.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested from NetGalley and the Publisher. All opinions are my own.*

Murder At Morrington Hall by Clara McKenna

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Edwardian Age (1901-1910), Historical MysteryLeave a comment

Murder at Morrington Hall (A Stella and Lyndy Mystery #1)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A Stella and Lyndy Mystery #1
Publication Date: 5/28/19
Number of Pages: 304

This was a smashing good debut novel for Clara McKenna. My absolute favorite genre is Historical Mystery – but that has to have a romance in it as well, and this book definitely meets those needs. The writing is excellent and the mystery was well done with twists, turns, and red-herrings.

I enjoyed meeting both Stella Kendrick and Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst. Both were very relatable characters for that time, both were likable, and I think we saw both begin growing into themselves. My favorite was Stella because she had the shock of her life thrown at her all at once – and in front of a bunch of strangers – not to mention having the devil himself for a father – and she handled in all with great aplomb. Lyndy caused me consternation at times because he seemed to take on some of the same disapproving attitudes as the rest of the family and friends. I mean, HE was the one in need – his family was the one in need – Stella wasn’t really getting anything out of the bargain. However, he did mostly appreciate Stella’s being different and became quite supportive of her.

Bright, fun-loving, free-spirited, open, honest, and beautiful, Stella was delighted when her father told her he was taking her with him on a visit to England to attend the wedding of an acquaintance’s son. Her father is cold, aggressive, abusive, and never does anything without it having some benefit to him – but – she can’t find any of that in this wonderful opportunity. He has even insisted on bringing her very own horse along for her to ride while they are there. As the premier horse breeder in the United States, he is also bringing along a couple of thoroughbreds to give to the groom as wedding presents.

Lyndy has known about and reluctantly agreed to, wedding the American for many weeks. It isn’t the marriage he would have chosen, but he’ll do it to save his family and estate. He’s not sure what to expect, but he’s not exactly enthusiastic about it. His mother, on the other hand, is totally set against the alliance – while his father is the one who set the wheels in motion.

Stella certainly doesn’t make a good impression on the up-tight, strait-laced, unsmiling, disapproving English family who seems to be determined to belittle her. Then, she discovers the REAL reason she’s there and flatly refuses. Not that her father gives her any choice.

A comment here about the parents – I disliked all of them, but I almost found myself disliking Lyndy’s parents more than Stella’s father. Yes, her father was rude, crude, and abusive, but at least he didn’t pretend to be something he wasn’t. What he said, he said out loud and plainly spoken. Lyndy’s parents and friends (even sometimes Lyndy) put up a false front, belittling in snide little comments. So, I disliked them – especially his mother – almost as much as I disliked Stella’s father.

On the day Stella arrived at Morrington Hall, and discovered that she was to be the bride, she also discovered a dead body. The body belonged to the Vicar who was there to perform her wedding ceremony. Who would murder a man of God? There are no clues – even the murder weapon is missing. Then, a few days later, a prized champion racehorse is stolen. Are the two events related? Next, one of the wedding guests is attacked. Again? Do we have three unrelated crimes? Oh! My! The investigation is on and Stella and Lyndy have to join forces to help solve it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope you will as well. I loved seeing Lyndy and Stella comes to realize that they have a lot in common and come to appreciate their differences and see them as strengths rather than weaknesses. I can’t wait to see how Lyndy and Stella come to deal with his family and the rest of the aristocracy in England. Also hopefully, Stella’s father will head back to America and we won’t have to deal with him anymore.