Month: December 2021

The Temptation of a Highlander by Elisa Braden

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Temptation of a Highlander (Midnight in Scotland #3)The Temptation of a Highlander by Elisa Braden

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Midnight in Scotland, #3

Release Date: December 28, 2021

When a spurned suitor turns violent, Miss Clarissa Meadows flees to the highlands and the home of her dear friend Kate MacPherson with her grandmother in tow. She believes that she is safe from the threat that Stephen Northfield posed and even considers marriage to Francis Prescott, Viscount Teversham, another dear friend as an added layer of protection. Their marriage would be in name only, a plan that seemed perfect until she met Campbell MacPherson.

Campbell MacPherson is the eldest brother and a quiet giant who has much pain and loss in his past. Pain that has held him a prisoner to darkness until he meets Clarissa. The attraction is fast, furious, and impossible to deny – but denying is exactly what he does. That is until it is clear that the threat that sent Clarissa in hiding has found her. And that stokes Campbell’s protective instincts, he takes Clarissa to his home to protect her and keep his family safe, but he still tries to deny his feelings for her. But soon, just keeping her hidden isn’t enough to save her and he demands that she wed him and even goes as far as to using her attraction to him to tempt her into agreeing. And agree she does, they wed, and mere hours later, Northfield makes it clear that he will kill Campbell and make her a widow. Clarissa tries to get Campbell to end the marriage, but he refuses and once again tempts Clarissa into compliance. For a short time, all seems right in her world, but soon his past and secrets will threaten to pull them apart. But even when the past is resolved and love blooms, the dark shadow of Northfield still hangs over them and it is clear that this fight is to the death – but whose?

OMG – every time I read a book by Ms. Braden, I think “this is the best one yet and I don’t think she can outdo herself” – but she does! Every. Single. Time. And this book is by far the best one yet! This book is perfection, it is well-written, perfectly paced, and features a plot that holds you captive from the first page and doesn’t release you until the last word is read! And even after you read the last word, you know that Campbell and Clarissa will stay with you for a long time and you will chafe at the knowledge that you will have to wait until the next book until you can reunite with them! This book has it all, secrets, a deranged psychopathic stalker, great secondary characters, pain, darkness tempered by moments of lightness, a heroine who inadvertently spouts inappropriate innuendo, dogs who fall in love at first sight, coos, steamy love scenes, a bit of magic, a soulmate type of love and finally a HEA that is bound to warm your heart and possibly bring a tear to your eye. This is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title with no problems. I can’t recommend this book highly enough; in my humble opinion, it is a must-read and definitely deserves a spot on your keeper shelf!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Twilight at Moorington Cross by Abigail Wilson

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

Twilight at Moorington CrossBarbara’s rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: 1/11/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 320

I was really looking forward to reading Twilight at Moorington Cross because I had read and enjoyed other books from this author. This book, however, didn’t live up to its predecessors.

Mrs. Amelia Pembroke has had a difficult life. We didn’t learn anything of her parents, how they met their deaths, or how they came to leave their young daughter’s future so unplanned. We do know that she was in the hands of a guardian by the age of five, and that guardian was a loving and caring one. Although not loving and caring enough to assure she was protected – he left for France and left her in the care of yet another guardian. She was passed from uncaring guardian to uncaring guardian until she was old enough to marry and then she was foisted off on an unsuspecting bridegroom. You see, Amelia has a sleeping disorder (narcolepsy I assume) and is apt to fall asleep at the most inopportune times. In times of severe stress, her entire body locks, and she falls – totally paralyzed. None of her guardians could deal with that – nor could the bridegroom who knew nothing of the disorder when he married her. They were only married a week before he placed her in the Cluett Mesmeric Hospital where she has been for the last two years. Though she is now a widow, she is still in residence at the hospital.

Ethan Hawkins has been summoned to the Cluett Mesmeric Hospital to formalize Mr. Cluett’s will. It is definitely a strange will, but it isn’t his job to judge – it is only his job to assure that the will is legal and binding. He is amazed when Mr. Cluett decides to share the contents of the will with the beneficiaries as soon as it is finalized. However, Mr. Cluett wants all who will be affected to be aware of the clauses in the will and what it will mean to them. You see, Mr. Cluett is leaving his considerable fortune and property to Amelia – as long as she marries one of two gentlemen he has named. Should she choose not to honor that clause in the will, the ENTIRE fortune and property will be awarded to the mesmeric school in France.

Later that same evening, Mr. Cluett is found dead in his bath. Accident or murder? The bumbling magistrate rules it an accident, but Ethan and Amelia are sure it was murder. Everyone in the home was accounted for at the time of death, so it couldn’t be one of them. Or could it? The house was locked up for the evening, so it couldn’t have been anyone from the outside. Or could it?

The characters were almost cardboard and I just couldn’t find any affinity with them, and the mystery was so very slow – and – well – boring – until you got to the end and then all sorts of weird and unexpected things just came out of the woodwork. Almost the entire book has Amelia vacillating between the two possible suitors – but she really prefers Ethan – but she really has to choose one of the other two men – but she really prefers Ethan – and on and on. It was very tiresome and really didn’t move the story along. I will certainly try another book by this author, but I cannot recommend this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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