Month: May 2022

Pursuing the Governess by Jane Charles

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Pursuing the Governess (Love of a Governess #3)Pursuing the Governess by Jane Charles

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Love of a Governess, #3

Release Date: April 26, 2022

Once upon a time Miss Regina Rutledge and Alec Winters, the Earl of Harwich fell madly in love and wanted to marry. But Regina’s father had betrothed her to a vile man and refused Alec’s suit. Determined to be together, they planned to elope when Alec returned from his cousin’s funeral. But fate had other plans for our lovers and Alec returns to London to find his love perished in a fire that also killed her father and the family butler. Heartbroken, Alec returns to his cousin’s estate and tries to figure out how to go on with Regina. IT takes him almost a year to realize that he will never love again but owes his title an heir. He decides it is time to move on and find a wife and he plans to make his cousin help him!

Nearly a year later, Regina has recovered from the fire that nearly killed her, but she might never recover from witnessing her father’s murder and hearing the awful things Mr. Vickery threatened to do to her. Bow Street runner Lord Matthias believes Vickery poses a danger to Regina and helps her “die”. She decides that with her scars and the scandal she will create if Vickery finds her, that Alec is better off without her and takes a position as governess, but when that doesn’t work out, she agrees to take the position being offered by Viscount Melcombe, Alec’s cousin and hopes she can avoid him. But fate once again intervenes and brings our lovers together again, but with so much betrayal, guilt, and pain between them, is HEA even possible and the even bigger question, will Lord Melcombe ever find a governess?

This was another well-written, emotion-packed story with a couple of unexpected twists that give this second-chance romance an unusual storyline. The book is fast-paced, emotional, a little angsty, a little heartbreaking, a little spicy, and filled with wonderful characters and hard-won HEA with a nice setup for the next book. This is the third book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems. I really enjoyed this story and would happily recommend it.

To Yield to a Highlander by Callie Hutton

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714), Part of a Series, Scottish/HighlanderLeave a comment

To Yield to a Highlander (The Sutherlands of Dornoch Castle Book 3)7Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: The Sutherlands of Dornoch Castle #3
Publication Date: 5/6/22
Period: Jacobean/Stuart Era (1656) – Scottish Highlands
Number of Pages: 193

Lady Elsbeth Johnstone has been restless and feeling useless for the last couple of years. Now, she’s finally decided what to do about it – she’s going to become a nun. Three years ago (To Deceive a Highlander) Elsbeth’s father betrothed her to Laird Haydon Sutherland, but he scared her to death, so her twin sister Ainslee changed places with Elspeth and married Sutherland instead. Now, Ainslee and Haydon are blissfully happy and Elsbeth has been living with them at Dornoch Castle. Then, Elsbeth began to develop tender feelings for Haydon’s brother Conall even though Conall loved every woman he saw and swore he’d never marry – until he did (To Marry a Highlander). Now, there are two strong women living in the castle and Elsbeth feels there is no place for her. She’ll never marry unless she can have what her sister Ainslee and Maura (Conall’s wife) have with their husbands. Since no man she’s ever met stirs the slightest feeling within her, she’ll become a nun where she can do good for others. Now, to convince Haydon and her sister to allow her to go to Perth to join the nunnery there.

Laird Duncan Grant doesn’t want his two neighboring clans to form an alliance through marriage – nor does he want to go to the trouble to search for a bride. So, the easy answer is to just steal the bride who is to seal the alliance between those neighboring clans. He’ll actually be doing the woman a favor because the man she is set to marry is a brute. So, he’ll kidnap her, bring her back to his castle and marry her. Yep – problem solved. Until – they kidnap the wrong lass. OOPS!

The attraction between Elsbeth and Duncan is immediate, but both are stubborn and set on their goals – for her, it is to become a nun, and for him, it is to never, ever, love his wife because it killed his father. Can they give up their stubbornness and find happiness with each other? What happens when her father shows up in Perth with her betrothed in tow? The man is odious – but – the contracts are signed. Will Elsbeth once again become the obedient daughter and do her father’s bidding?

This was a fun, entertaining read and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. The characters are lovely – and the ending is smile-worthy – and there is a nice setup for the next book as well.

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

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